Some downtown Kelowna businesses are still struggling, despite the city香蕉视频直播檚 efforts in closing Bernard Avenue to vehicles to promote physical distancing and encourage more people to come to the area and support local.

Blackfish Apparel owner Chris Murphy is making her concerns public. When the closure first began on June 29, she said she was optimistic.

香蕉视频直播淏ut now having seen what香蕉视频直播檚 happening, not anymore. Unfortunately, we don香蕉视频直播檛 have a lot of the restaurants and the pubs, which is drawing people to the areas,香蕉视频直播� she said.

香蕉视频直播淲e don香蕉视频直播檛 have a lot of employees to be putting our merchandise on the street. We can香蕉视频直播檛 be putting our clothing on the street because it香蕉视频直播檒l get stolen香蕉视频直播� so for us, it香蕉视频直播檚 backfired.香蕉视频直播�

Murphy said she used to have three employees but had to let them go. Currently, she said she香蕉视频直播檚 barely making enough to keep the store afloat and can香蕉视频直播檛 afford to take wages for herself.

She said she knows closing off Bernard Avenue has been beneficial for the restaurants and several other businesses, especially the ones close to the waterfront as there is more foot traffic there, but around the 400- and 500-block where she is, it hasn香蕉视频直播檛 helped her business.

香蕉视频直播淚 think our two blocks need to be opened up again, let香蕉视频直播檚 get the people parking here again. Let香蕉视频直播檚 get those people out of their cars and into the businesses here.香蕉视频直播�

Previously, Black Press Media has spoken to Funktional and Frock and Fellow owner Chantal Couture about how closing off the main drag is going to affect retailers like her.

香蕉视频直播淚 think it was primarily to increase capacity fo restaurants and then offered to us merchants to also increase our capacity but the truth is, it香蕉视频直播檚 not realistic,香蕉视频直播� she said.

Couture said it wasn香蕉视频直播檛 worth putting fragile merchandise out on the sidewalk as items could break or get stolen, as well as simply not having enough staff members to man the outdoor setup.

Downtown Kelowna Association executive director Mark Burley said he knows about the issue.

香蕉视频直播淲e have some businesses who are upset with the closure香蕉视频直播� and those include some in the 400 and 500 blocks. The city is in contact with us about (those blocks) and we香蕉视频直播檝e been back and forth and trying to come up with some solutions,香蕉视频直播� he said.

He said some of the ideas they香蕉视频直播檝e talked about include bringing picnic tables down to the two blocks to increase foot traffic in the area, as well as going ahead with Animate Bernard, an initiative that will bring entertainment in the area, starting this weekend.

READ: Bernard Avenue patio expansion 香蕉视频直播榰nrealistic香蕉视频直播� for non-restaurant owners: retailer

READ: Pedestrian numbers skyrocket on car free Bernard Avenue