Tropicana Avenue Reopens After Long Closure Sparks Frustration Among Las Vegas Small Businesses
Las Vegas Businesses Struggle After Storm Damage Closes Major Road
The aftermath of a powerful storm that swept through Las Vegas on Tuesday left more than just debris in its wake—it caused widespread power outages, damaged infrastructure, and disrupted the livelihoods of local businesses. One of the hardest-hit areas was a nearly 1.5-mile stretch of East Tropicana Avenue, which remained closed for several days, cutting off access to dozens of small businesses and dramatically reducing foot traffic.
Devin Ruesch, a stylist at Cliff’s Barber Corral in east Las Vegas, answered a ringing landline inside the shop on Saturday afternoon—a sound he hadn’t heard since the storm hit. The phone had been out of service for days due to power issues caused by the storm. Winds exceeding 70 mph had snapped multiple wooden utility poles, leaving parts of the neighborhood without electricity and forcing the closure of a major section of East Tropicana Avenue from South Topaz Street to South Sandhill Road.
Despite the road finally reopening at 7 p.m. Saturday, business owners like Ruesch and shop owner Cliff Wolosin said the damage had already taken a toll. “It was like a little tornado came through here,” Ruesch remarked. Wolosin, who has operated the Western-themed barber shop since 1995, recalled how unusual it was to see such a significant stretch of Tropicana shut down. “It’s like a third-world country out here right now,” he said. “I don’t know why they couldn’t just put those power lines underground.”
Impact Felt Across Multiple Industries
Just steps away from the barber shop, Wadie Yousif, owner of Tropicana Discount Liquor, voiced similar frustrations. His store saw a dramatic drop in sales during the Fourth of July holiday weekend—one of the busiest times of the year for liquor retailers. “We’re dying here,” Yousif said. “We’ve lost a lot of business, especially from the holiday. It affects everything. There’s no tourist business right now.” He added that calls to NV Energy went unanswered and that his insurance did not cover losses related to the outage or road closure.
At Glammed Pretty Boutique, located at 3330 E. Tropicana Ave., workers reported losing their outdoor flag during the storm. For days, internet outages forced the shop to rely solely on cash or digital payment options. Meanwhile, at the IHOP just west of the boutique, general manager Tony Benetiz struggled with reduced staffing and even fewer customers. “We usually get a lot of people going to or coming from the airport,” he explained. “But there’s none of that right now.”
Benetiz also questioned why authorities didn’t allow limited traffic flow along the unaffected south side of Tropicana Avenue. “I don’t see why they couldn’t do that,” he said.
Lingering Questions About Infrastructure
The storm uprooted trees, knocked down traffic lights, and even trapped people in vehicles across the Las Vegas Valley. According to NV Energy, about 30,000 customers lost power on the day of the storm, and more than 60 utility poles were either damaged or destroyed.
Business owners and residents alike are now raising concerns about the city’s aging infrastructure, particularly the reliance on wooden utility poles. At Cliff’s Barber Corral, Ruesch expressed skepticism about replacing the same poles that had snapped under high winds. “If they put those wooden poles back up, they’re going to snap, I guarantee it,” he said. “That storm Tuesday, sure, that was a rare storm, but storms do come through here.”
As the dust settles and businesses try to recover, many remain uncertain about when—or if—long-term infrastructure changes will be made to prevent future disruptions. For now, they’re left picking up the pieces, hoping for answers and better preparedness in the face of nature’s unpredictability.
