Chik-fil-A is open for business at its new location on Casspolis Street in Elkhart. The restaurant opened at 6:30 Thursday morning to a line of traffic. Elkhart Police are there to help with the traffic flow as customers were told to use Merrill Street from Johnson, rather than having Cassopolis Street back up.
Drive & Shine also has a Merrill Street entrance. The car wash is concerned that increased traffic on Merrill Street, along with new barriers on Cassopolis Street, could impact its business.
The Indiana Department of Transportation installed the new barriers in the middle lane of the main thoroughfare just under a month ago. The agency sent a letter to businesses along Cassopolis Street, indicating that the barriers aim to prevent accidents.
Matt Lavine, store captain at Elkhart Drive & Shine, sees two possible outcomes from the increased traffic and new barriers.
“I could see people driving down Cassopolis Street,” Lavine said, “looking over here, and seeing how busy it is, and being like, ‘Well, I think I’m not going to do that right now.’”
The other outcome could benefit the car wash, as Chick-fil-A customers might choose to get their cars washed. Lavine stated that no matter the outcome, Drive & Shine has a plan.
“We’ve been thinking about it for three months,” Lavine said. “I really think we have a solid plan in place for our customers. We will find a solution, if and when a solution needs to be had, to make sure our customers are being taken care of.”
