LITITZ, Pa. — It's been a tough week for businesses in one of Lancaster County's most popular downtowns.
A major water main break on Friday, July 12, forced part of Main Street in Lititz to close until repairs are complete.
The closure has impacted the downtown shops and restaurants. Some businesses did have to close over the weekend due to a boil water advisory, but they are all back open to customers.
Repairs on E. Main Street started Thursday morning. It was a noisy but relieving sight for businesses.
“It’s very exciting to see it get fixed and hopefully get traffic back to normal on Main Street in the summer," said Deja Pyles, customer service lead at Sweet Legacy Gourmet.
The borough plans to complete repairs by Friday, July 19.
“Everyone’s been understanding, it’s been all hands on deck," the borough's managing director of planning and development, Elijah Yearick, told FOX43 on Thursday. "These sorts of things do happen, unfortunately. The main that broke was about 75 years old, they’re not the easiest to replace.”
Couple that with several days of excessive heat and it’s translated to significantly less foot traffic for the town’s shops and restaurants during what can already be a slow time in the summer.
“It’s definitely been a little bit slower, especially with how hot it’s been this summer compared to last," said Pyles.
"With the street closed, a lot of people weren't sure if the shops were open or not so it was a little challenging but the town has been very proactive," added Gil Melo, assistant manager at Bunyaad Marketplace
From brightening up the sidewalks with chalk to adding signage to offering free parking on metered roads surrounding E. Main Street, businesses and the borough are doing everything they can to let people know Lititz is open.
“These are things that happen, it’s just life," said Melo. "There’s nothing we can do but try to have fun and try to make it pleasant for our customers.”
“We never want these things to happen but when it does it’s all hands on deck and let’s get through it," added Yearick.
There will be another "Chalk the Street" event downtown on Thursday night from 4 to 8 p.m.
Businesses are also planning to have family entertainment and other activities downtown this upcoming weekend.
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