Tacony business needs support from community more than ever after I-95 collapse
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Businesses in the Tacony area told CBS News Philadelphia they are still struggling after the I-95 collapse.
Inside Awesome Little Cupcakes in Tacony, owner Stephanie Lawrence is leading a kid's baking camp.
Back when I-95 first collapsed earlier this month, CBS News Philadelphia checked in with Lawrence.
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"I'm hoping that's just like a temporary thing while they do inspections and see what happens," she said at the time.
More than a week later – she says things haven't really changed.
Despite camp going on, things remain slow.
Lawrence estimates she missed a third of her normal business over the weekend.
"We have gotten a lot of phone calls like, 'Hey can we even access you.? Is it worth coming down? Am I going to be adding to the chaos?' I'm like, 'Please come.' I can't afford to go out," Lawrence said.
While Princeton Avenue where the shop is located is blocked off, police are allowing customers to come through to get to the store.
"Thousands of cars pass here getting on the highway on a normal basis and we probably get 200 now," Lawrence said.
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Still, Lawrence says that's not enough. She is hopeful things will pick up after the temporary lanes open to traffic this month.
"I'm hoping once it's open that more people will be coming down this way but I'm assuming that the summer is going to be pretty slow," she said.
Lawrence is now looking at the future keeping in mind the words on a sign on her shelf: "Life is what you bake it."
She has a simple ask from the community during this time.
"You may not become a normal every week customer of ours, that you do come down and support not just me, but all of the local businesses around here," Lawrence said.
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The city's department of commerce is still running a hotline and email account for businesses in the area, who feel they are being impacted by the closures, to reach out for help.
A spokesperson says so far more than 50 businesses have reached out to them.
