Laurie Barrie, owner of Chérie Amour, talks about facing road & sidewalk construction challenges as a business.

My name is Laurie Barrie, and I am the owner of Chérie Amour, a women's apparel and lingerie/bra store in Pullman, WA. I carry over 70 brands, offering sizing for all women, as well as specialty items such as mastectomy bras and nursing bras. My husband, Scott, and I have been business owners in Pullman since 1987. The seven-month construction project that was recently completed will go down as one of our more difficult trials in our 38 years of business, but we made it through and are now enjoying the benefits of a beautiful downtown area!

How does one prepare for street closure for seven months? Honestly, it loomed over us like a brewing storm, because in many aspects, we did not know what to expect. Communication became key.  The city sent weekly progress updates via newsletters and held monthly town hall meetings to keep everyone informed. Our Chamber sponsored a “Shop Local” initiative, using social media and local media outlets to shop during the street closure, and barriers at the ends of the streets listed all the business names on them to remind everyone we were still open during construction.

We participated in special events such as pop-up markets and sidewalk sales that brought foot traffic to our store. Many stores, including ours, saw a decrease in revenue of 40-50%. This was a big hit, but we tried to offset our in-store sales by increasing our online presence. We’d love to see you in our store for a proper fitting, but you can shop us online at cherieamour.com as well.

With new boutiques, great eateries, and beautiful upgrades to Main Street, we welcome you with open arms! We are excited for our community and for the future growth and prosperity in downtown Pullman.