NAMPA, Idaho — Construction to convert 11th Avenue back to two-way traffic in downtown Nampa is making it harder for neighbors to access shops near Library Square. Despite the inconvenience, customers are going out of their way to support small businesses.
When construction cones went up outside Old Country Sausage, owner Lidia Heredea feared it would stop customers from coming into the store.
"I was thinking, 'Mama, go home. Nobody's gonna come.' And after Dmitry's post— was a blast. Everybody come and support us," Heredea said.
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Heredea's apprentice, Dmitry, said a Facebook post helped turn a blocked-off morning into a rush of support.
"If not for that post. Basically, I came to open the store and everything was blocked," Dmitry said.
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"I really, really appreciate Boise people, [people] from Twin Falls, [people] from Fruitland. 'We come to support you. We come to support you.' I really appreciate [it]. God bless them," Heredea said.
Old Country Sausage sits near Library Square, where the city is converting part of 11th Avenue back to two-way traffic.
Nampa Director of Transportation Crystal Craig said the city is trying to limit the impact while construction affects utilities or access.
"We've been able to find out when their operating hours are so that we can best do shutdowns that would affect their businesses after hours," explained Craig.
Craig said the city is also making daily signal timing adjustments through its traffic monitoring center to help move drivers through the construction zone.
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"The contractor has actually brought in multiple crews, a day crew and a night crew, so we can accelerate construction and get this improvement in faster," added Craig.
For Heredea, the construction has brought daily surprises, including support from the people working right outside.
"Everybody come here to eat, even the worker from the street, they come to eat here— to support us. Nobody goes someplace else," Heredea said.
Behind the counter, the shop is still making dozens of kinds of sausage in Nampa.
"We have 36 names of sausage [we] make in the house. With a lot of love, I put extra each time— make local in Idaho," Heredea said.
The city expects the project to wrap up in September.
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