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Road Closure Leaves Vendors Wondering
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Jerry makes the trip from Gibson Florida each year.
Photo by Jay Thompson |
(posted May 26)
One hot spot for vendors could be changing due to the Speedway Redevelopment
Commission's proposed plans to vacate Georgetown Road starting at 25th
Street.
David and Cindy Athey have own the corner at 2490 Georgetown Road for about
20 years. The westside couple are professional vendors that travel the
race and fair circuits.
Athey said they have not had any contact from the SRC about the future
of their property. The only contact they have had with government is through
a zoning complaint that required them to move their storage trailers. The
couple plan to continue to doing business as usual until they receive some
information.
Jerry, who gave no last name, has been selling T-shirts
near the corner of 25th Street and Georgetown Road for 25 years. "This
is the only race I come to sell shirts," he said.
Jerry is one of the few vendors that spends the entire month of May selling his products. Jerry said he heard about the proposed closing of Georgetown Road and changing the road curvature of 25th Street. "If that happens, I'll just find another spot."
Race fan Gary Cotton of Oswego, New York, who has been coming to Speedway since 1985,
has been tracking the redevelopment project on Speedway Navigator's website.
Cotton opposes the idea of closing Georgetown Road for the use of a linear
park.
The Chocolate Gallery set up a vendor's booth for the first time this year
at 25th Street and Georgetown Road to be on the front lines with race fans.
Chocolate Gallery has been innovative in trying to reach a bigger market.
During Christmas 2007, the owners opened a kiosk at Circle Centre Mall
to expand their market share beyond the Crawfordsville Road corridor.
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