{"id":154,"date":"2026-05-14T19:03:44","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T19:03:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=154"},"modified":"2026-05-14T19:03:44","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T19:03:44","slug":"2-lake-norman-restaurants-plead-for-help-after-road-project-keeps-customers-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=154","title":{"rendered":"2 Lake Norman restaurants plead for help after road project keeps customers away"},"content":{"rendered":"

Habibi Lebanon<\/a> Bar & Grill has been in \u201chigh demand\u201d since opening two years ago on South Main Street in Davidson, but executive chef\/owner Nazira Atme said she now worries about its future.<\/p>\n

Read more A super PAC is making a major investment in North Carolina\u2019s Senate race<\/a><\/p>\n

A state road project<\/a> that\u2019s created mind-numbing traffic snarls and angry and confused drivers led to a $20,000 drop in business last month, Atme told The Charlotte Observer at her restaurant Tuesday in the South Main Square retail center.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are hanging on a thread,\u201d she said. \u201cWe need help. How, we don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are getting more frustrated\u201d by traffic jams caused by the project, Robert McCrary, owner with his wife, Eileen, of the Crazy Pig<\/a> BBQ Taphouse next to Habibi Lebanon.<\/p>\n

While his loyal patrons continue to come in for workday lunches, McCrary said, he\u2019s noticed more couples staying away for dinner because of the traffic mess.<\/p>\n

The project came as a shock, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were just doing business, you know, having a good time,\u201d he said. \u201cThen we get an email: Next week, the road will be closed indefinitely.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo as time goes on, it\u2019s just going to be like, \u2018Forget it,\u2019\u201d McCrary said, referring to the general public. \u201c\u2018Don\u2019t even bother going over there.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

A state contractor closed South Main Street\/N.C. 115 to the south of the restaurants in mid-March, The Charlotte Observer reported at the time. Heavy equipment rumbled away on what is now red clay, no longer road asphalt, at the site Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Virginia-based Caton Construction Group<\/a> closed the road and shifted traffic to Potts Street in Cornelius. The work aims to connect planned roundabouts and install a waterline, pavement, curb and gutter, sidewalk and a drainage system, according to a March 5 North Carolina Department of Transportation news release.<\/p>\n

Under a railroad bridge, two Caton crews are focusing on storm drainage related to water\/sewer line work, NCDOT spokesperson Jen Goodwin said Wednesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis work poses a challenge as we need to connect the existing storm drainage system and integrate the water\/sewer connections from three distinct directions,\u201d Goodwin said in an email.<\/p>\n

Several \u201cstakeholders,\u201d including Charlotte Water and a nearby school, \u201care involved in the coordination,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cCrews have established a detour and are phasing work to help direct traffic around the work area,\u201d Goodwin said. \u201cWork is anticipated to wrap up in the South Main Street area toward the end of summer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Caton<\/a> is completing two complementary projects as part of the contract awarded by NCDOT in late 2023. Both aim to reduce congestion, according to the NCDOT project page.<\/p>\n

The first project is a roundabout<\/a> at N.C. 115 and Potts Street in Cornelius, replacing a T-intersection.<\/p>\n

The second project<\/a> will join Potts, Sloan and Beaty Streets in Davidson and create a parallel route to N.C. 115.<\/p>\n

A roundabout also is planned at the existing Sloan\/Beaty\/Griffith streets intersection.<\/p>\n

Both projects should be completed late this year, according to NCDOT. Landscaping and adding vegetation will stretch through spring 2027.<\/p>\n

Habibi Lebanon<\/a> has received \u201ca lot of no-shows, a lot of cancellations\u201d since the work began, Atme said. \u201cWe\u2019re getting all nervous. If it goes on, and they continue like that, they\u2019re leaving us with no choice\u201d but to close or relocate, she said.<\/p>\n

Read more 7 Brew coffee looks to open first Rock Hill area shop near another popular site<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are declining,\u201d she said. \u201cEverything we worked hard for. They are pressuring the small business.\u201d<\/p>\n

McCrary said business owners would like to brainstorm solutions with town officials. \u201cWe haven\u2019t even sat down with anybody from the town,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The town posted a video on Instagram<\/a> in late April highlighting a dozen businesses along the affected stretch of South Main Street.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, this is Rusty Knox, mayor of Davidson,\u201d the mayor said in leading off the video. \u201cI\u2019m standing down on South Main Street, which is still open, just like all the businesses are. Why don\u2019t you come on down and support them like you\u2019ve always done? Looking forward to seeing you here.\u201d<\/p>\n

McCrary said his restaurant and other businesses need more support than a one-time social media video. For instance, the town could consider giving grants to businesses to help them make it financially through the year, he said. Or it could work with landlords on rents for affected businesses, he said.<\/p>\n

McCrary said South Main Street has \u201calways been sort of the stepchild of the town, anyway. Main Street is the main focus. If you\u2019re not on Main Street Davidson \u2026 \u201c<\/p>\n

Atme completed the thought.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2026 you\u2019re the poor child for Davidson,\u201d she said. \u201cLook in Davidson, how beautiful and pristine the signs and how much money is spent. One sign that they could put up: \u2019Come into South Main Street.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor a small business, I\u2019m doing everything I can since we opened Habibi Lebanon, but they forget about us down here. Direct people that we exist down here. We are still people with businesses, (but) nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The town has taken numerous steps to assist South Main Square businesses, town spokeswoman Betsy Shores said Wednesday. Besides the video, she said, the town:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Asked NCDOT to place all detour signs out of the road \u201cto keep South Main Street clear, keep traffic moving in both directions, and allow customers, employees, and deliveries to reach all businesses,\u201d Shores said in an email.<\/p>\n

\u2022 \u201cPlaced a digital trailer sign on the Wells Fargo driveway that reads \u2018Businesses Open\u2019 on the first screen, \u2018Local Traffic Only\u2019 on the second screen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 \u201cAllowed additional temporary signage and banners in the area.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 \u201cBlocked off the on-street public parking spaces on Eugenia Street starting Friday, March 13, to allow for the increase in traffic and allow for traffic to be able to move and not get stuck and cause additional problems on South Main.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 Has Kim Fleming, its economic development director, meet regularly with the businesses to address concerns.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Had town police monitor traffic with drones and personnel. \u201cThe longest wait time during peak hours was 3 minutes,\u201d Shores said.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Uses South Main businesses \u201cfor Town needs where appropriate,\u201d including catering from Habibi Lebanon, Crazy Pig and Gigi\u2019s Gelato, and printing by PostNet.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Scheduled a Music & Makers<\/a> concert at South Main Square for Saturday, May 30, on the outdoor stage at the Crazy Pig, and offered to have more events at South Main Square, including smaller concerts and pop-up markets.<\/p>\n

Shores said merchant ad grants<\/a> are available to subsidize local merchant advertising.<\/p>\n

Read more TB case at Fort Mill middle school under investigation by SC health agency<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Habibi Lebanon Bar & Grill has been in \u201chigh demand\u201d since opening on South Main Street in Davidson, owner says, but a road project is keeping diners away.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":153,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\n2 Lake Norman restaurants plead for help after road project keeps customers away - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=154\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"2 Lake Norman restaurants plead for help after road project keeps customers away - 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