Sales flying south

Wild Birds Unlimited, which has struggled alongside other Plumas Street businesses during downtown construction, is the latest store on the street planning to close its doors.

Owner Vanessa Lock-Marshall said the closing of her two-year-old business was the result of a combination of factors, including construction that limited access to her store. She also said it was due to a lack of sales and her ties to another, more successful, business.

"I would have stayed open if it weren't for the construction," Lock-Marshall said on Thursday.

The $13.4 million streetscape project — designed to make downtown Yuba City a destination spot — is scheduled to be completed before the end of the year. But access to stores has been hampered by construction that has shut down blocks to vehicle traffic.

Downtown Shoe Repair and Creative Interiors have moved and a real estate office closed since construction started in July 2007.

Wild Birds Unlimited, which sells bird feed and supplies, and gifts, has lost about 50 percent of its business and 500 customers a month during Plumas construction, Lock-Marshall said. The section of Plumas in front of her store is still under construction and is blocked off with a yellow metal fence. She said is unsure when she'll close the store.

Lock-Marshall partially blames the Downtown Business Association for a lack of customers visiting Plumas.

She said the association didn't support the shops with advertising during construction.

The association spent about $200,000 on marketing including advertising in the Appeal-Democrat, radio stations and signs directing customers to the stores, said Don Covey, president of the association.

"I feel it's totally wrong for her to blame construction," he said. Lock-Marshall opened the store two years ago knowing about the construction plans, Covey said. He said he thinks struggling businesses already had problems that could force them to close.

"Construction may have tipped the balance," Covey said. "But the problem was already there."

He said business turnover on Plumas in the past year has been about the same as it was in years without construction. Businesses have to take some responsibility for low sales, he said.

Covey said sales at his store, Yuba City Florist, have dropped due to the "terrible" economy.

Pelton's Party Rental & Sales store on Plumas had to borrow money because of losses during construction, said Pelton's manager Brenda Matson.

"We're lucky that we're able to stay open," she said.

Lock-Marshall said she was upset when she decided she had to close the store, but now is OK with it.

Kathy Sexton, a customer, buys finch food and unique gifts at the store. She said she's sad the store is closing.

"They have a lot of things here you can't get in other places," Sexton said.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Katy Sweeny at 749-4708 ksweeny@appealdemocrat.com