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CHARLOTTE, NC– Charlotte’s South End is a growing hot-spot for visitors. Businesses say they’re looking out for customers by keeping limited parking spots open.
This is true for Said Gomaa. Gomaa owns Crispy Crepe on South Blvd. He monitors his few parking spaces; cars that violate the rules are towed.
“There is not enough parking spots for us–for any small business,” says Gomaa, “… What are we supposed to do? There are not enough parking spots for us, or World of Beer, or any small businesses around here.”
Gomaa says who parks where affects his bottom line.
But it’s not just business owners who are frustrated with the parking situation, so are local residents like Ruth Ann Burnett.
Burnett lives in the Post South End apartments. She says there isn’t enough parking for paying tenants, especially when tenants have friends over and need somewhere to park. She wishes the 30 parking spots reserved for businesses in the parking garage below were available after-hours.
Katie Abel agrees and says the parking signs belonging to local businesses can be confusing. She says she thought she could park at a Crispy Crepe parking spot after-hours and be all right, but she wasn’t. She says her car was towed and it cost her $120.
Abel says the lack of clarity on where visitors can park and when isn’t worth a night out in South End, which is disheartening news for business owners already battling costly parking woes.
Some business owners tell WCCB they would like to see more free parking made available for customers.
