Boarded-up Asheville businesses show grim reality of pandemic impacts

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The stay home orders by state and local officials because of the COVID-19 pandemic are taking a toll on Asheville businesses.

Owners facing the prospects of having their businesses closed for weeks have boarded up the front windows.

On Haywood Road in West Asheville, Westville Pub’s entire row of front windows is boarded. But “we will be back soon” and “we will open again soon” have been spray painted on the wood.

When that will be, no one knows.

“It’s just sad to see that people even feel it necessary to board their windows right now,” said James Sutherland, who co-owns the Curry House in downtown Asheville.

His restaurant is doing take-out, and Sutherland is worried about the future. But he has vowed to stay open the next several weeks. Sutherland said he’s applying for a payroll loan.

Shops next to him have also been boarded up.

Calls for service remain steady and aren’t spiking, Asheville police said. Nor is downtown seeing an increase in breaking and entering reports, APD spokeswoman Christina Hallingse said.

“We do have officers in the downtown area doing extra checks," she said.

Hallingse said plywood is becoming commonplace for businesses across the nation as the coronavirus crisis continues.

APD is closely following crime stats. Typically, they’re checked once a week.

“We’re actually doing it every other day now to see trends in the city, because we are in a time no one’s ever experienced," Hallingse said.