Area businesses frustrated by busy construction zone, parking challenges.
To fast-food fans, it was a dream fulfilled. No longer would Flagstaff burger buffs need to trek to the Prescott hinterlands for a double-double. In-N-Out, the ultra-successful franchise with the not-so-secret menu and a following so devoted they post first visits on social media, had arrived. The effect was instantaneous – a packed dining room and drive-thru lines so long they stretched down southbound I-17. It promised as much as $20 hourly wages. And to a wide swath of the public eating out – locals, college students, tourists – a heralded metro hankering could be satiated at last.
Unfortunately, its car-induced collateral damage coincided with a year’s-long road construction project at the city’s southern gateway designed to improve traffic flow and alleviate congestion. So, what have In-N-Out’s neighbors won and lost?
Tucked in the back corner of the Green Tree Mini Mall, a collection of shops in a building that once housed a multiplex, Brennan Smith tends to The Geekery. What looks like a toy store, retailing cards, figurines and assorted accoutrements is the local outpost for Magic: The Gathering, a role-playing game with a fan base that could rival In-N-Out. Smith says the store clears as much as $10K in online sales. And when school is in session, the spacious room’s tables are filled with in-person gamers playing Magic, Warhammer, Pokémon, “Anything nerdy people are interested in,” he said.
And while In-N-Out hasn’t changed much for them, “It’s gotten a lot of our business,” said Smith. “It’s cheap, tastes good and I can walk there in about 45 seconds. I’ve been waiting for it since I got to Flag.”
Smith says he has noticed more foot traffic in the mall since In-N-Out opened, especially from NAU students who may cut through on their way. Although The Geekery borders the burger shop, he doubts that increases visibility because they have no sign on that side and a row of trees obstructs. And, though he says road construction “has been annoying, I don’t think it stops anyone coming here, and might have increased sales. Everyone likes In-N-Out.”
In Green Tree Village Plaza proper is the Red 115 Aveda Salon, where aesthetician Nevaeh Fries has had a close eye on the situation. “It [In-N-Out] hasn’t impacted positively or negatively,” she said, “although our clients mention having trouble parking. When they first opened, everyone parked here and walked over, especially college kids. We’d see them walking back over with In-N-Out bags.”
The salon relies on a loyal clientele, and easy access is key. With many shops and restaurants in Green Tree, some are not happy about sharing parking space with a restaurant a block away. “There have been more complaints with the road construction that started the day after In-N-Out opened,” Fries said. “Clients will be late to appointments. They might avoid the area in general. It’s just irritating.”
Ironically, cars are at the center of complaints from AutoZone, which shares a lot with In-N-Out, according to worker Paige Wyatt. “Their first day, there were three dead batteries in the parking lot,” she said, adding that most of the issues have been about parking with In-N-Out customers using AutoZone’s parking spaces, despite 14 signs that have been posted. Then, it got serious.
“We stopped putting tow warning stickers on cars in our lot because people were calling in death threats to corporate [Tennessee-based headquarters],” said Wyatt. “A few cars got towed. It’s next to impossible for us to park, not to mention [for trucks that] deliver parts. Our daily numbers declined from $5-7K to roughly $4K. It’s fun having them as neighbors but it’s impacting our store so bad we might get shut down.”
The area is in Phase 1 of the Beulah/University Realignment Project, which includes a roundabout and four-way intersection connecting Milton Ave., University Dr. and Beulah Blvd., as well as stormwater, water pipeline and sewer improvements and fiber optic upgrades.
Although scheduled to be completed by the end of this summer, Phase 2 begins next, adding a pedestrian underpass to connect Milton Ave. and University Dr. Construction for Phase 2 is expected to last until late 2025. FBN
By Billy Miller, FBN
Photo by Billy Miller: Some say the combination of a popular new burger stop and road construction is causing traffic flow and parking issues.