From Jamaica Plain to East Boston to Roxbury, Boston’s small business owners were scrambling to dig out Tuesday from an epic storm that capped off the snowiest 7 days recorded in more than 120 years in the Hub.
“What I am trying to do is open this whole thing up here, no small cow paths, because that’s bad for business,’’ said Jessen Fitzpatrick, co-owner of the Salmagundi on Centre Street in J.P., as he took a break from attacking a snow pile almost as tall as him with a snowblower. From his experience there and at a second Salmagundi on Salem Street in the North End, Fitzpatrick said he’s learned: Skinny sidewalk paths make people move quickly. They don’t encourage people to stop and look at his lively window displays – and come in and buy.
For florist Joe Muzzy of Muzzy Day Square Florist in East Boston, where hundreds of cars remain trapped up to their roofs in snow, he’s had to suspend making any deliveries other than to funeral homes. “I tell people, no. You can come in, but I just can’t get around and make any deliveries,’’ Muzzy said. “It’s terrible for us. We’ve been dead for three days.’’
How well has new Mayor Martin J. Walsh’s administration done cleaning the streets after this pair of storms? Business people are about as divided as residents overall.
“They were on top of it, the first one, but then it seemed like the second one, when it came back, they didn’t stay on top of it,’’ said Joseph Reddick of Boston, who was helping dig out a storm drain on Centre Street in anticipation of ensuring melting snow wouldn’t cause flooding.
“I’m sure they’re doing the best they can,’’ Muzzy said. “It’s overwhelming. What are you supposed to do?’’
Fitzpatrick said he would give the city “a C or C-plus” for current cleanup efforts, saying parking bans seem to have been imposed longer than needed, and “I’d like to see these streets a little wider.’’
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But asked what it would take for the city to earn an A, Fitzpatrick said: “I think an A has a lot to do with the people living in the city. I think you ought to come out, take ownership of your block, to help the city’’ and make sure municipal workers have the best opportunity they can get to clear streets and corners and city property.
