I’m writing to express my grave concerns for the small business owners of Winslow Way. I opened my restaurant, Hitchcock, last May. After a wonderful and busy summer, I learned the plight of wintertime on Winslow.

Apparently, although the population and demographics of Bainbridge Island are growing and strong, it takes a large influx of tourists to support a quarter-mile of small and locally owned businesses.

This reconstruction is proving disastrous. As storefronts close all around me, I hear the same fears from those of us who are still open. Already meager sales are cut in half. Island residents are “staying away” from Winslow because of the congestion and noise.

Although parking is abundant at Winslow Green and in the city parking lots at Madrone Lane, people are worried about the inconvenience of half of the street parking being gone.

Please consider touching base with local businesses and joining our plea for local residents to support their “downtown,” lest Winslow become a ghost town. To maintain a vibrant and interesting community, islanders must patronize the businesses that serve them.

I heard a great deal about the mediocrity that flourishes here from residents when I was building the restaurant, seemingly fed up with the options they had for dining, shopping and entertainment.

Now it’s time for people to put their money where their mouth is and commit to patronizing the businesses that they hold dear, or else they’ll be left repeating the oft-heard regret: “I wonder what happened? Too bad they went out of business.”

Brendan McGill

Chef/Owner, Hitchcock