SANDPOINT, Idaho — A new paid parking system implemented in downtown Sandpoint this month is taking a toll on local businesses, with at least one shop reporting a dramatic drop in sales.
Wilburn Custom Shop, a father-and-daughter-owned business that sells, repairs and makes instruments, has seen sales fall 75% compared to previous Julys. The decline coincides directly with the launch of the parking fee system, which charges customers $4 per hour after allowing two hours of free parking.
“When the parking happened, it was dramatic. Just, instant drop in sales,” said Scott Wilburn, senior partner at Wilburn Custom Shop, alongside his daughter Sarah, who serves as junior partner.
Summer typically represents one of the busiest seasons for Wilburn Custom Shop, providing crucial revenue that sustains operations through slower months.
“We rely on those summer months to give us enough padding to get through the rest of the year, and this year, not only do we not have the padding, we actually have a hole where we normally have a surplus,” Scott Wilburn said.
Mayor Jeremy Grimm has previously told 4 News Now that the city implemented its new parking system with a goal of increasing turnover in downtown parking spaces.
However, the Wilburns argue the system has achieved the opposite effect. Rather than encouraging shorter shopping trips and faster parking turnover, they say the fees have discouraged people from visiting downtown Sandpoint altogether.
Scott Wilburn has already reached out to the mayor to voice his concerns about the system’s impact on his business. The business owner said Grimm responded by explaining the reasoning behind the new system.
Grimm did not respond to a request for comment made yesterday, but he has previously told 4 News Now that the parking system is designed to generate revenue for the city while helping ease the tax burden on residents.
Despite the financial strain, the Wilburns remain committed to their business and their community.
“Music is fun, and it makes it worthwhile, even if we have to tighten our belt, and even if we have to just grit our teeth and bear it,” Sarah Wilburn said.
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