CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Businesses along Leopard Street have had a rough few years dealing with ongoing road work and infrastructure repairs.
Now that the new Leopard Street Bridge has been built, and city street projects are winding down, things are starting to look up.
The new Leopard Street Bridge has been open since the end of September and businesses are already starting to notice a change in both traffic and attitude for this part of Leopard Street.
Owner of Franks Spaghetti House, Vanessa Moody-Alvarez, said she's seen quite a drop in business because of construction.
"We've dropped fifty to sixty percent," Moody-Alvarez said.
She is a third-generation family owner of Frank's Spaghetti House which may be among the oldest restaurants in town.
"We have struggled to keep our doors open," Moody-Alvarez said. "Even at the end of last year we had a family meeting. We considered closing it down."
Customers like Rita Hernandez are glad they decided to stay open.
"I think good service, good food will survive anything," Hernandez said.
Just down the street is another restaurant Bottomless Pit Barbeque owned by Mack Rodriguez who's survived 20 years despite losing business because of street work.
"A good sixty five, seventy five percent of our walk-in business absolutely," Rodriguez said. "So we were able to weather the storm."
Another sign of renewed life of the area is a brand new Starbucks down the street.
Our cameras weren't allowed in the packed coffee shop but we talked to customers like Yolanda Diaz outside.
"It's a wonderful idea for them to be here," Diaz said. "We need for this area to grow. And it's here."
"It's a community store," one Starbuck employee said. "So, it's nice to have a third place for the community to have and come and hang out."
Moody-Alvarez hopes for a turnaround for her family business.
"We're struggling but we're trying to get through it," she said. "We don't want to close this establishment down. It's been here for 77 years."
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