TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A small business is feeling the ripple effects of the 22nd Street Bridge closure.
The owner of the Purple Penguin Candy Emporium, Gigi Spinks, says the drop in traffic following the closure has been so severe that her candy shop is now at risk of closing for good.
Since 2019, the candy shop off 22nd Street and Country Club has been a place of nostalgia. Whether it's old time favorites like the Big Hunk or newer candies like Peelerz, the Purple Penguin Candy Emporium has something for everyone who walks through the door.
"I tell people, you could come in here and be two years old to 100 years old, and you'll find something," Spinks said.
Spinks has owned the Purple Penguin Candy Emporium for about a year and a half after purchasing the shop from its original owner. She says she used to be a customer herself.
"It just kind of all like fell into place. I was here, and then it was mine, and I have a son, and the plan was that we'll have this forever and he'll run it one day or, maybe my grandkids if I get to have any. But if I have to close, I'm more sorry. I don't want to disappoint the people that come here," said Spinks.
Since the bridge closure in March, Spinks says she has seen a big drop in business.
"It's decreased significantly. Probably 40—at least 40% of the business has just dissipated," Spinks said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Road work ahead: Construction for 22nd Street Bridge Project starts
The bridge is expected to be closed for three years during reconstruction, and Spinks says keeping her doors open is becoming harder day by day.
"We probably have like two months. Two months, because, you know, everything has gone up. Every cost is, you know, candy's going up and sodas are going up," Spinks said.
Losing her business would be deeply personal for Spinks, who describes her shop as a staple in the Julia Keen neighborhood.
"We have a lot of kids that come in from the neighborhood that they come in just to spin the candy wheel. They don't even, they don't buy anything. They just come in and ask if they can spin the wheel and that's fine. They can win a free candy," Spinks said.
Spinks is doing what she loves and still filling the shelves and buckets with candy. She encourages new and old faces to stop by her candy shop 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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