Renaissance on Eighth Street

Two weeks after the reopening of the Eighth Street bridges, business is booming in this formerly sealed-off neighborhood. The manager of West Side Video and Tan said: “Most days have doubled. We were just barely hanging on by the skin of our teeth.”

The owner of Van Goes Pizza and Mexican said: “The difference is between night and day.”

Sabai Thai and Page Turners Etc. are coming up with ways to “reintroduce” themselves after being isolated so long. Sabai Thai’s marketing director said he’s hoping for a revitalization of “uptown Port Angeles.”

Customers are also returning to the St. Vincent De Paul thrift store. And Steven Bridge — owner of three businesses between the two bridges — said: “Busy is a good problem at this point in time. We've doubled. We've at least doubled. So that is a good thing.”

The downtown area is also showing a few burgeoning signs of life. There’ll be a yoga studio opening soon on Laurel Street near Front Street. In the space where Zenzizi used to be, the For Rent sign is gone and the windows are papered over. And there’s a Jazzercise studio on Fifth Street where the liquor store used to be (it only takes up part of the building).

So — think positive.