Store owners are hoping the Fall Clinch River Antique Festival will bring shoppers after months of construction caused a lack of customers.
CLINTON, Tennessee — Business owners in Historic Downtown Clinton have had to roll with the punches over the last few months after construction along Market Street caused a drop in customers.
"It's definitely been a tougher month, it's the first kind of harder month that I've had," said Dawn Rader, owner of Joy in the Dawn.
The streets and sidewalks around downtown have been demolished to replace 100-year-old pipes and other underground utilities.
But businesses outside of downtown are also feeling the strain, including the ReSale Rack in Powell.
The ReSale Rack provides thrifted items for customers from clothes to bedding to home decor. The store has special offers throughout the week including clothing for as low as 25 cents on Wednesdays. They also provide for the community with programs like a food pantry and low cost prom dresses.
"I know that right now, a lot of them are struggling with all of the construction and stuff down there so we really have to feed off of each other and support each other in order to make it," said Tara Allen, owner of the ReSale Rack.
Even with the construction, Historic Downtown Clinton is getting ready for the 24th annual Fall Clinch River Antique Festival.
The festival runs from noon to 6 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
"While we are in construction, we think that we have found some ways to make it the best one yet. So, we're pivoting a little bit, and also getting creative," said Katherine Birkbeck, Executive Director of Historic Downtown Clinton.
The festival will host activities like fashion shows, demonstration booths and so much more, which businesses said they hope will bring people in even with the construction.
"The festivals are really important to all of us down here and we got a lot of new business from that and also just a lot more people come to that at one time," said Rader.
Though the event will look different this year, organizers are hopeful that people will come support stores that need it.
"People can expect another great festival. Just because our market street doesn't look the same, we still have the same great vendors and even more," said Molly Farrar, Business Manager of Hoskins in the Flat.
Historic Downtown Clinton says the construction should be finished by Thanksgiving. Until then, stores are using their back entrances to help customers avoid construction.