Road closures for the FIFA World Cup Fan Festival have caused a sharp drop in trade for a coffee shop in East Downtown, Texas, with the owner saying the city has effectively told small businesses: 'You're on your own.'
Takings halved on opening day
Andreas Hager, co-owner of Koffeteria on Hutchins Street, said the first day of the World Cup was one of his slowest ever. Takings were only around half of what he would normally expect, as road closures and limited parking kept customers away.
'Day one of FIFA Fan Festival, we're seeing really slow foot traffic in the shop. There are a lot of people passing by on the streets, but they're here to spend money at Fan Fest,' Hager told reporters.
Neighbours rally round
Local resident Wendy Jones said she had noticed Koffeteria's struggles. 'They haven't had much business; it's been slower than normal because they're closing down roads. I was even told by a police officer that Hutchins was closed for pedestrians,' she said.
Hutchins Street, where the coffee shop's entrance is located, has become a key staging area for emergency services during the event, further restricting access.
Plea for city help
Hager said he would like city officials to look into ways to improve access to his business and other nearby firms operating on the edge of the FIFA Fan Festival site. 'All the small businesses ... they've told us basically we're on our own to find parking, to bring people in. It feels like the city hasn't thought of us at all,' he said.
'We aren't here to be kill-joys, but this is a really difficult process for us. We feel like we've been left out of the conversation,' Hager added.
