‘This really kills me’: Lincoln business owner blames 48th Street construction for closure

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Another Lincoln business is calling it quits after it says a road construction project has decreased safety and customer accessibility.

Denise Mendoza, the owner of Beauty Girl on 48th Street and Madison Avenue, is heading into her final day of business on Saturday.

“It’s been horrible,” she said. “And the reality is, I speak to everybody here, and they’re hurting.”

SEE ALSO: ‘We’re all trying to stay alive’: Market helps Lincoln businesses amid 48th Street closure

For months, she has struggled to stay open because of construction right outside her door.

The Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Department has been working to replace the water main and improve 48th Street between Leighton Avenue and Adams Street.

The city told Channel 8 that this project is long overdue and that it will actually help businesses once it’s complete.

“We look forward to the significant positive impact this work will have on this area of town once it is completed,” LTU said in a statement.

SEE ALSO: Lincoln business owners band together to stay afloat amid 48th Street closure

But Mendoza said that back in May, a good portion of her sidewalk was gone and a gaping hole was a few feet outside of her front door.

“At that point, for the safety of my customers and for the safety of my employee, I had to close my doors then,” she said.

The city said construction had to be completed this way.

“The building that houses Beauty Girl Boutique and other businesses does not have outdoor faucets due to the age of the building,” LTU said. “Because there are no outdoor faucets, a hole near the curb stop needed to be created to hook up water service to Beauty Girl Boutique and the other businesses in the building. The curb stop is located outside Beauty Girl Boutique’s storefront. The hole was fully covered with a steel plate unless construction activities required direct access.”

Mendoza also said her basement flooded.

She said water and cement from the construction soaked the clothing she had stored in the basement.

“This really kills me,” she Mendoza said. “And all of my winter inventory – destroyed.”

But LTU said no city or contractor personnel inspected the basement, so whether the basement flooded “cannot be determined at this time.”

SEE ALSO: ‘That’s a killer’: Lincoln man says 48th Street construction will doom his business

That, combined with a loss of customer traffic, is forcing Mendoza to close her store.

And she’s not the only one in the area.

Sabor Latino had to shut down, and Jerusalem Bakery will soon follow.

Mendoza said she has spoken with a Lincoln City Council member and LTU, but she said there wasn’t much they could do.

She plans to use TikTok and other social media platforms to continue selling inventory in hopes that one day, she’ll be able to move back into a physical store.

She said the businesses in the University Place area have been helping each other as much as possible.

“Well, I was very depressed before seeing all of my customers,” Mendoza said. “The support has really warmed my heart. I can’t think about it too hard because I’ll cry.”