Downtown Wheeling is known for its beautiful architecture, delicious restaurants, good shopping, and noisy, disastrous, construction-filled streets. The city of Wheeling is undergoing a major makeover, and while that may benefit citizens and visitors of Wheeling in the long run, it is hurting the small businesses that reside on those streets. Since this project is not supposed to be completed until the summer of 2025, local small businesses are not going to be let out of this nightmare for a while longer.

The $32 million project, known as the Wheeling Streetscape Project, is designed to beautify downtown Wheeling by adding ADA-compliant curb cuts, widened sidewalks, and decorative brickwork along several streets. The project will also add new plants, trees, and traffic signals.

“It’s making it a lot harder to come downtown, and in turn, people aren’t coming downtown anymore,”  said Anna Holliday, an employee at Mugshots.

This construction has led to the closure of several roads and the condition of many more to become downright treacherous. Some small businesses, such as Vagabond Kitchen and Taqueria 304, have been cut off from the world almost entirely due to main road closures.

“It’s having some impact, but luckily, for us, it’s been marginal. We have a great group of loyal regulars,” said Dave Comack, the owner of Taqueria 304.

Customers are finding it hard to find parking along streets and to even see the point of making the confusing and bumpy journey in the first place. Though this struggle is not isolated to the customers, employees of small businesses are also feeling the burden.

“The downtown area is already hard to drive in, but with construction, almost every other road is closed. Most of the sidewalks on main street are chopped up right now, so not only do you not have much space to walk, but always feels like you are inhaling toxic waste from construction,” said Lauren Erwin, WPHS senior and Mugshots employee.

Luckily, Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration is leading the movement to support these businesses during this trying time. They have sponsored “The Conquer the Cones Campaign” to uplift small businesses and reinvigorate people’s love and desire to go to downtown Wheeling. If you eat at one of 13 participating small businesses, you will receive a card with a stamp next to the business where you ate. If you get stamps from six or more of the small businesses participating, you will be entered in for a chance to win $1,000. The drawing takes place April 1st. Those participating small businesses include:

Avenue Eats

DiCarlos Pizza

Elle & Jacks

Mugshots 

River City

Tito’s 

The Belgian Waffle Shop

Vagabond Kitchen

Taqueria 304

The Bridge Tavern

Public Market

Table 304

Panda Chinese Kitchen

Wheeling citizens should be excited about the makeover our beautiful city is getting, but we have to make sure we are supporting our community in the process and our small businesses are at the heart of our community. “Conquer the Cones” and go out and support a local business today!