Wilmington businesses react to increased parking rates in downtown
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) – It officially costs more to park in downtown Wilmington. Higher rates went into effect on Monday, August 1. Some businesses fear the new fees could impact the number of people shopping at their stores.
The price to park at the meters in downtown Wilmington went up by 50 cents on Monday. It now costs $2 dollars an hour to park in metered spaces.
Small businesses in downtown expect the higher rates to impact the number of customers they will see coming to shop in their stores.
“I think we’ll always have tourists, but people don’t want to pay a lot to park downtown, and also with gas prices already so high, and it’s already so hard to find parking anyways downtown. So, I think that could affect the local businesses,” said Brianna Beadell, “Unleashed” associate.
Brianna Beadell at “Unleashed” and Maddie Brown with “Edge of Urge” think it could have a negative impact.
“I think it might deter people a little bit. The prices can be a little high, and you know it might, – instead of spending a whole day here. They might have a second thought about how much they’re going to have to pay to spend the whole day here. So, I get it might just cause some frustration and maybe some unexpected fees or things that people weren’t ready to pay at that point in time,” Maddie Brown, “Edge of Urge” associate.
The rates are also increasing for the 2nd Street and Market Street parking decks, what was once 90 minutes of free parking is now 30 minutes of free parking.
Beadell says it’s not only shoppers who will feel the pinch, the increased rates will also impact workers like herself.
“As an employee of a local business downtown, it’s a lot to have to park already downtown. So we’ll have to park up in, –like the free parking. So I think that will affect the employees of the downtown local businesses as well,” said Beadell.
“I think people will still continue to do their best to get down here and shop, and see the sites, but it just makes it more strenuous for all of them, so I expect a little frustration from everyone,” said Brown.
