Westfield Supports Local Businesses During SR 32 Construction

WESTFIELD, IN — With the closure of State Road 32, local businesses and community leaders in Westfield are adapting to the challenges of reduced access and potential financial shortfalls.

"We know that State Road 32 is going to be a little bit painful," said Kayla Arnold, Westfield's Director of Communications. "We want to make sure that our businesses are supported during that time."

In response, the city launched the “Brave the Barricades” initiative, allowing customers to collect stamps from participating businesses. Once they gather five stamps, they will be entered to win a gift basket valued at over $250 filled with local items.

For small business owners like Kim Kercheval, who operates Village Pizza, the construction creates fear.

"There’s a lot of concern because we’re all — as far as me and a couple of other businesses here—we’re all just local people. We don’t have millions of dollars that if we get hit for a little while that it’s not going to really matter," she expressed.

Kercheval highlighted the importance of keeping downtown Westfield local.

"They can call streets, different areas of Westfield, whatever they want, but this will always be downtown Westfield. There’s no way around that."

She added that the risks are significant as a local business.

"Everything we do, we do ourselves. So the risk for us is I feel like it’s a little bit greater because I’m just one person," she explained.

The road work is expected to continue through July, and Kercheval is finding innovative ways to maintain her business.

"I feel like this right here is kind of how we were at the very beginning of COVID. We just have to change our business model a little bit and try to really come up with our own creative marketing and hope the city gets on board with it," she said.

Arnold reaffirmed the city's commitment to supporting local businesses, stating, "We want those businesses to survive so that they can see and reap the benefits when we have, you know, hundreds of people living in our downtown core."