Kitchener boutique owner says Frederick Street construction is bad for business

The province’s plan to build a new Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph is more than just an annoyance for one business owner. CTV’s Karis Mapp explains.

A business owner whose shop is right beside the construction happening along Frederick Street in Kitchener says the work has almost completely halted her sales.

Noor Boutique has been at its 510 Frederick Street location for the last two years.

“We made a three-year agreement for the store, and we were not aware of any construction that was going to happen here,” explained boutique owner Neslihan Gokcan.

The store specializes in Turkish-styled fashion. Gokcan said despite the niche-market, now is usually one of the busiest times of year due to Ramadan. But sales are down nearly 90 per cent.

“Last month, I had two or three customers and they had my number. They called me and I tried to help them. Sometimes I go grab them from outside,” she said.

“This month, also just a few [customers] but much less.”

Gokcan explained that a lot of her business came from foot traffic.

“We don’t have anymore walking customers who were crossing the bridge to go to Time Hortons or Frederick Mall,” she said.

Even her regular customers say they’re struggling to access her shop now with part of Frederick Street being closed.

“GPS actually doesn’t show this building. It bring you up to the highway and then you cannot find the store,” Gokcan said.

Many customers are now being forced to park at nearby businesses and walk to the location.

Noor Boutique shares a building with a dentist’s office and rehabilitation centre, but Gokcan said it’s a different situation for them.

“People don’t come for clothing,” she explained. “If it’s for an appointment or any other health issues, that’s okay. But for clothing, they just walk around and then go back if they can’t find it.”

Frederick Street bridge was demolished in Dec. 2025, as part of the province’s long-promised plan to build and expand Highway 7.

The project is spearheaded by the Ministry of Transportation (MTO).

Stephanie Stretch is the city councillor for Ward 10, which is located on the other side of the missing bridge from Noor Boutique.

She said she’s also been hearing from concerned businesses owners about the construction’s impact.

“I definitely can appreciate the hard times that come along with construction for businesses. But, because this is an MTO project, any resources that would be available would be through the MTO,” said Stretch, adding that the City of Kitchener has little control in the project.

But according to Gokcan, she can’t get hold of the ministry for help.

“We sent many emails, but we didn’t get anything back from them. It’s more than a month now and we couldn’t reach anyone,” she said.

The MTO told CTV News it understands some of the concerns.

“We know construction can be challenging for communities and we are thankful to local businesses for their patience during construction. We are working to limit the length of the closure and ensure access to businesses are maintained throughout,” the MTO said in a statement to CTV News.

In the meantime, Gokcan said she’s worried about her boutique’s future and unsure if she’ll be able to stay open.

“This is my second month that I cannot make my rent, so how can I stay here?” she questioned.

She has been focusing her efforts on online sales, but said she feels like she’s essentially paying for a storage unit instead of a storefront.

“I feel stuck because I have one more year [in my] agreement here so I feel very stuck knowing I’m not able to go to another place and then everyday I’m losing.”