By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Despite street work going full tilt along the south side of Main St. from the 100 block west to the 200 block east, businesses say the reduced access to their front doors is not keeping their customers away.

Marion Auto Supply’s front parking lot was blocked Thursday by workers removing and pouring concrete.

Doug Regnier said customers are able to park on 1st St. and enter the west door.

“It really hasn’t affected us,” co-owner Regnier said. “We’ve been busy throughout the day.”

Barry Allen, owner of Webster Auto Service, said the ongoing street work makes for more of a challenge in getting to Regnier’s auto supply shop diagonally across the intersection.

Parking is not blocked on the north side of the street where the auto repair shop is located.

“We’ve got our parking lot over there, so we’re really lucky,” Allen said.

The city plans to make the raised edge of that parking lot, originally a building foundation, into a sitting area. Allen said the city has not discussed the details of the downtown streetscape project with him.

Parking is blocked in front of the drug store and a large portion of the sidewalk has been removed, but employees of Lanning Pharmacy say business has been steady and the store has seen no increased demand for home delivery.