MERIDIAN, Idaho — Paved and ready to welcome back patrons!
- Meridian hosted a block party to celebrate the re-opening of Idaho Ave between Main St and 2nd.
- Businesses like Deja Brew Bistro and Wood & Root Bar have been on Idaho Ave for years and they felt the pain of the road being closed for construction.
- The Idaho Ave Sewer and Water Main Replacement Project is improving reliability of water and wastewater services.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Phase 1 of the Idaho Ave road project is complete.
“Totally stoked, we’re really excited,” said Deja Brew Bistro General Manager Jennifer Repsha.
… allowing better access to a variety of businesses.
“They can come in and have an experience. They can paint, they can plant, they can make a terrarium, we have string art, they can have drinks,” said Niki Hritsco, co-owner of Wood & Root Bar.
Making local business owners jump for joy.
“Absolutely, the day the fences came down, we’re running in the streets! It was the best day ever. Yah.” said the co-owners of Wood & Root Bar.
The Idaho Ave road project is replacing sewer and water infrastructure from Main St to 6th. The city says it’s an important project to improve wastewater services… local businesses felt the pain of less foot and road traffic.
“Detrimental, it was incredible. Construction killed us, just killed us. It went to nothing,” said Repsha.
On the brightside, the road is open just in time for summer, but Co-Owners of Wood & Root Bar say some of their best business was lost during the months of road improvements.
“So we’ve been down here for a while… the construction? [It] was awful. We actually, for a moment, thought we were going to close," said Shannon Ingle, co-owner of Wood & Root Bar.
Deja Brew Bistro General Manager Jennifer Repsha agrees, “We were actually really poppin’ before then, more than even usual, that we would expect for that time of year.”
Now the restaurant plans to ‘serve up’ some improvements of their own.
“So we’ve been here for seven years, but this is a big year for us because we are actually kinda reinventing, rebranding. In fact, mid-July we’re going to be having a grand re-opening!” said Repsha.
