‘We’ve had zero customers’: Vancouver business on verge of closing amid Broadway construction

Construction along Vancouver's Broadway corridor is spelling more trouble for small businesses.

There appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel for one business along Broadway in Vancouver.

On Tuesday, the owner of Italia Bella Bar and Grill, Kam Khinda, explained to CTV News that since traffic was shut down between Main and Manitoba streets last month for the ongoing subway construction, he has watched customers vanish.

“Two nights we’ve had zero customers,” said Khinda.

He said they saw a small spike on Valentines Day, but due to the lack of foot traffic and vehicles navigating the road closures, he has been forced to lay off four staff members and reduce hours for others, while he works from open to close.

Khinda explained that if lack of revenue continues at this pace, he will have no other option but to close within the next two months.

“We don’t know how to survive this location and this area,” said Khinda. “It’s really hard.”

On Jan. 27, business owners affected by construction along Vancouver’s Broadway corridor met with B.C.’s transportation minister, Mike Farnworth, regarding financial assistance amid the disruption.

At the time, Farnworth acknowledged the pressure businesses were facing but would not commit to funding, going as far as to say that no government has provided compensation for any project in B.C., referring to it as opening “a real Pandora’s Box.”

While the project remains well over budget and the completion date has been pushed to Fall 2027, after repeated calls for additional non-monetary support, it appears it’s arrived.

The Mount Pleasant BIA says due to traffic confusion, additional signage was installed over the weekend along with parking.

“We have a couple of hours of free parking,” said Neil Wyles, executive director of the BIA. “In Vancouver, that’s like winning the lottery, getting some free parking.”

He remains hopeful that the province will come forward with low interest or no interest loans, similar to those of the pandemic years. Wyles explained that it would not be a handout and would be paid back, but would serve a s a buffer to get these businesses through the construction years.