West El Paso businesses adapt to Mesa Street construction to stay open

EL PASO, Texas -- Businesses along Mesa Street have had to deal with more than just a pandemic to keep their doors open this past year. They've also had to keep customers happy while road construction cuts off easy access to their parking lots.

The Texas Department of Transportation has been repaving portions of Mesa Street in west El Paso for the past year, and it has created some headaches for commuters and businesses.

El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser met with TxDOT officials last week to speed up the project after receiving many complaints of bumps in the roads, but it was not just motorists that were dealing with the inconvenience.

"When we first opened, it was really bad. We could not get any dine-in customers because of the construction outside," Chae Li, manager of Sunny's Sushi restaurant, explained.

Li said the restaurant was able to save itself with mobile orders until people started finding their way into the booths that line the restaurant. It was a much-needed sign for the restaurant because they opened their doors during the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, when dine-in was little to non-existent.