TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A Midtown candy shop that was nearly forced to close has found a lifeline in the community it has served for years.
Two months ago, Gigi Spinks, owner of the Purple Penguin Candy Emporium, was facing a difficult reality. The closure of the 22nd Street Bridge had drastically reduced traffic near her business and she gave herself until July to decide whether keeping the doors open was still possible.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Road work ahead: Construction for 22nd Street Bridge Project starts
That deadline has now passed and Spinks says the outpouring of support following a story I did on her situation made all the difference.
READ MORE: Midtown candy shop may close due to 22nd Street Bridge closure
"It's been going a lot better, so much better. We've had a lot of people come in from your story," Spinks said.
She says customers began walking through the door almost immediately to shop for their favorite candy.
"From the day it went live on TV, people came that day. From the next day on, it was just, I mean, triple the business it's been since the bridge closed down," Spinks said.
The support extended beyond customers. Spinks says fellow business owners offered advice, social media creators posted videos online and longtime customers returned with a simple message.
"Just all the people that, you know, brought their kids in that, maybe I hadn't seen in a while, and just saying, 'Life got busy, but we're here. You can't close. This is our favorite store,'" Spinks said.
But Spinks says the challenge is not over. With construction on the 22nd Street Bridge expected to continue for three years, she is looking for additional help to keep the momentum going.
"There's no more people on this road. We need to figure out how to get people back over here and get our name out more to the city and social media," Spinks said.
Spinks says she is in communication with the Regional Transportation Authority to explore business assistance programs that could help with marketing, finances and other resources.
For now, she says the future of the Purple Penguin Candy Emporium comes down to one thing.
"I'm hopeful, but life gets in the way of things, and so hopefully we'll get new customers. And as long as people continue to come in, then we should be okay," Spinks said.
The Purple Penguin Candy Emporium is located at 3392 E. 22nd St.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
