Q&A With the Businesses - Denise of Olde Knitting Mill Antiques

Since the on , many businesses have , screaming to the public "We're open! Come on in!" However, inconvenience doesn't even describe the trek from Royersford to Spring City, and vice versa, without the 80-plus year-old bridge.

Still, businesses are doing the best they can over the supposed eight-week span of the closure. In week two, Patch decided it was time to sit down and talk to the businesses one on one.

Limerick-Royersford-Spring City Patch had a chance to speak with Denise of to hear what she has to say about business and the bridge.

LRSC Patch: How has the bridge closure affected regular business?

Denise: It has killed our business. We are a business of wants, not needs, so people are not going to travel an extra 15 miles to come to the antique shop. I have been lucky, I guess, because a few of our regular customers still stop by to discuss the closing of the bridge and chit-chat, but we have lost a lot of the business that comes from 422 through Royersford, and financially, that is hurting us. I would say our sales have been cut by more than 50-percent.

Patch: Are you running any specials in light of the bridge closure to bring in extra business?

Denise: Yes! The month of August, every year, is our Customer Appreciation Month. During the month of August, for every $10 you spend, you get a free raffle ticket. Throughout the shop, in dealers' booths and showcases, are items on display with a raffle sign. There are approximately 20-25 items up for raffle. As you go through the shop, you decide which item you would be interested in winning. You write your name and phone number on your raffle ticket and put it in the appropriate bag for the item you want to win. Sept. 3, after our big yard sale, we draw the lucky winners.

We also are running several sales to help people save money for the extra money they may be spending on gas to get to our shop. And Labor Day weekend, we host a huge community yard sale (Sept. 3 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.). It is in the two parking lots between our building and the . It's an annual event, and is open to the public if they are interested in renting space ($5 a space). This gives people a chance to get some great bargains and save some money. I sure hope that bridge is fixed by then!

Patch: What are you doing to bring customers into your store?

Denise: We did some local advertising stating the bridge may be closed but we are open and we also are promoting a deal on our Facebook page that if people visit, they can print out the page and get an additional 10-percent off any one item of their choice.

Patch: How did you feel when you found out about the bridge closure? Describe the day you found out.

Denise: Knowing that August is our best month and that we have the big yard sale Labor Day weekend, I wanted to cry. We work so hard to prepare for this event and now it is going to flop. I received an email about it from a Kathi of Kathi's Barbershop upstairs. This is how I found out. I then contacted some "higher-ups" because I felt it was unfair that the businesses didn't receive much notice. A meeting was scheduled a few days later on a Monday and when we called about attending the meeting, we were pretty much told it was for the "borough officials" and they would be representing the businesses.

To this day, I still have not received any information from a "borough official." We are on that little strip - not in the Royersford Main Street area and not on Spring City's Main Street. We get left out of many things because we are in that little area. We hear rumors like the bridge might be finished earlier, because the schools are fighting it due to the cost of fuel for transportation. Another rumor was they brought in a special crew to get it finished by the start of school, Aug. 29. But these are all rumors and I do not count on hearing anything from any "official." I will probably find out when I go to work at the shop and the bridge is finally opened.

I realize the bridge has to be fixed and fixed properly. This is how I came into my business. We were scheduled to open Labor Day weekend and there was a meeting about the bridge being closed right before we opened. The same "sick" feeling came back when we heard of the closing of the bridge this time.

Patch: What would you like to tell the public that you have not had a chance to say?

Denise: I'd like to say thanks to the people that continue to come to our shop on a regular basis and drive the extra distance. I realize it is an inconvenience for you to travel the extra distance and we want to say thank you by offering special deals and sales. Don't forget about our special events!

Patch: Has your commute been affected at all by the closure?

Denise: Yes. It was easy for me to jump on 422 to come to Spring City through Limerick or Royersford. So, I have added extra miles every day I travel to the shop. And with the price of gas and decrease in sales, it hurts. And time! I work a full time job and am a parent. So, now I have to squeeze extra time into my day for additional travel.

Patch: Any last thoughts that you'd like to add?

Denise: I would appreciate being more informed of situations by the borough. I think PennDOT or the borough should be providing the communities and businesses with weekly updates on progress on the bridge. How difficult would it be to let you know or the local newspaper or even post it on their website?

I also have to question the detour route. Taking people all the way into Pottstown on 724 to get to Royersford from Spring City when there is actually a closer route by taking some of the back roads through Parkers Ford. I know they do not want the extra traffic, but it would have saved people money on gas and made the commute shorter.