- Construction on Railroad Avenue has forced City Dogs Cafe to cut hours due to unsafe conditions during lunch.
- Owner Michael Robinson shared a video to social media that was picked up by Tallahassee Beer Society and garnered neighbor support.
- Watch now to hear from Robinson how the support can help City Dogs stay open.
- Tallahassee Beer Society will be holding a bottle share night at City Dogs on Wed., April 17 to support the business.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
For most of us, road construction is just a little annoying.
But for others, it can make the difference between thriving or just barely surviving.
"At the rate we're going now, I don't see how we can be viable past the summertime."
I'm Alberto Camargo your College Town neighborhood reporter.
I'm finding out how the Railroad Ave. construction has affected one locally-owned business — and how the neighborhood has responded to uplift it.
"The reality is, it's virtually impossible to keep this place viable when most of the access to our establishment has been cut off."
You may have seen this video online.
That's City Dogs Cafe owner, Michael Robinson.
"What brought you to share that video in the first place?"
"I think I just took that opportunity to make that video to let people know that things weren't right, versus me trying to explain it to this person or that person."
Robinson owns City Dogs in College Town and Ma's Diner in Northeast Tallahassee.
While he says Ma's is doing well, he also says the road work on Railroad Ave. that I've been tracking for months has left City Dogs in limbo.
For months now, it's been closed for lunch.
"Your customers become used to a time, a day they like going and if you take that away from them, they don't know if it's coming back, if it's still available."
While signs are up letting people know businesses are open despite the construction, Robinson says parking is an issue for would-be customers.
This map shows the options people have as the project progresses.
"I think anybody who is human would have had that video resonate with them."
Leading the push for support, neighbors from the Tallahassee Beer Society.
Co-founder Danny Aller shared Michael's video across social media and the responses came through.
"To see the outpouring of support like this, it's what makes our community great, man. Tallahassee is a great spot to live."
In the days since, Michael says, "a lot of people were coming in and talking about the social media post itself so therefore that definitely drove people into each establishment."
Michael says the struggles are far from over, but signs are encouraging.
"I'm positive, I'm hopeful. I feel blessed at the end of the day no matter what, I feel blessed."
As a reminder, the Railroad Ave. work is to improve pedestrian safety and design of the road.
The City of Tallahassee says its on schedule to be completed by the end of the year.
In College Town, Alberto Camargo, ABC27.
