MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Mount Clemens business owner is facing a double dose of challenges as the city's grant-funded $6.4 million downtown beautification project enters its final months.
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Diane Kubic, who has owned Max & Ollie's for 20 years, found herself dealing with both construction-related business slowdowns and a separate flooding crisis that left 2 inches of standing water in her shop.
"This was like, boom! You're putting this back together today," Kubic said.
The flooding wasn't caused by the construction project that has been ongoing since March, but by plumbing issues from the business next door.
"Oof, that's bad," Kubic said. "Just oh my goodness."
The combination of challenges proved overwhelming for the longtime business owner.
"Just not realizing what it would take, it's been a lot," Kubic said.
With help from the community, Kubic packed up her entire shop and moved everything off-site — a career first she hopes never to repeat.
"And I don't want to do it again. It was enough," Kubic said.
Despite the difficulties, Kubic has maintained her sense of humor, decorating construction cones and putting mannequins in beach towels with a sign reading 'pardon us while we dry out' after the flood.
"This community is amazing," Kubic said.
She plans to keep her doors closed until the street reopens on Nov. 1, skipping ahead to Christmas sales when she reopens.
"I think once it's all done, it's going to be fabulous," Kubic said.
Mount Clemens Mayor Laura Kropp, who has served for 6 years, calls the project a much-needed transformation for the downtown area.
"We had a really hard time during the recession and never really got our footing back as a downtown," Kropp said. "And so I say hold on, because it's going to be a fun time in the next few months with all of the unveilings going on."
Michelle Weiss, coordinator for the Downtown Development Authority, says the project represents the first major changes to the downtown area since 1982. The improvements include curbless streets to even out the groundscape, and updated lighting and parking.
"Everything about it is going to be so fresh and new," Weiss said.
While the street is scheduled to reopen Nov. 1, the complete beautification project won't be finished until next fall.
"We're almost to the end," Kubic said.
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