Months-long road closure creating problems for Beaver County businesses

A long-term road closure in Beaver County is causing headaches for some local businesses.

It's only been a little over a week since construction started on Route 68 in Rochester. Nesmith Diner and Catering is relatively new to the community, but the activity happening outside their window is even newer.

"I feel like we could have maybe done it a different way," said Anita Nesmith, co-owner of the diner.

PennDOT says Route 68 is closed between the Rochester Roundabout at Adams Street and Jefferson Street at Virginia Avenue. This closure will remain in place through mid-November, the agency said.

Nesmith's husband, Eric, who also co-owns the diner, says sales have slipped. And with that, they've had to close earlier as well.

"It doesn't sustain keeping the lights on. The gas, utilities, all of the other things, all the overhead that you have when you own a business," Anita Nesmith said.

Philly Pretzel Factory, located down the street, decided it could not sustain keeping the lights on, announcing that it will close on Saturday, April 18.

The business posted on Facebook in part, "The sales simply are not there, and the closing of Adams Street is the dagger that killed us."

"They're very good people. We know them very well," Eric Nesmith said.

The Nesmiths have wondered if that dagger will come for them down the line. They're trying to stay positive, hoping people can still find their way down.

The business behind it, Rochester Turners, has even allowed the diner to borrow its parking lot for customers during the day.

"They came over to us before this started and said, 'Please, use our lot,'" Anita Nesmith said. "It's truly a community trying to weather this storm."