Construction on 16th Stret hurts DQ sales

Construction on 16th Street NE Cedar Rapids has given me more challenges then I expected on my first full season of ownership of the Dairy Queen No. 4 store at 501 16th St NE.

Dairy Queen No. 4 opened for business in 1955. Since that opening, three previous owners built a well-established, walk-up neighborhood treats-only,Dairy Queen.

I employ eight part-time workers who are happy to come to work and greet people and their four-legged friends as they approach the outside windows. I feel it's important to keep that personal touch with employees and customers.

Major construction on 16th Street NE has cut traffic flow by 75 percent during the day and revenue by 50 percent. When the construction began May 14, I presented issues at a City Council. I asked for signage to help patrons find my store and said any other support the council could give me would be appreciated. City officials did recognize my request. Media outlets, along with social media, helped sales in the first 10 to 14 days of that meeting. June and July have been steadily declining, and in comparison to the previous year, sales are down 50 percent.

The construction project is to end Nov. 30. I would like to thank everyone who came to support my Dairy Queen at the beginning of construction. Please don't forget that we still need any and all support from the community to help DQ No. 4 make it through this challenging year.

Karla Sibert

Owner, Dairy Queen No. 4

Cedar Rapids