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SALEM, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — While Salem's tourism industry loved the great rush to Witch City this October, some locals and business owners are saying enough is enough.
"We've had to shut down, we've had to close early, there's no support," Alex Panos, owner of Alex and Co. salon, told WBZ's James Rojas.
Several business owners told Rojas the crowds continue to get worse year after year making it difficult to run business as normal. For the past few years, streets have been closed for longer periods of time to accommodate crowds of tourists.
Some local business owners feel they are being overlooked by the city.
"This was the worst season for us, right now very successful for some people, but the worst for us," Panos said.
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He opened his salon in 1977 and said he might have to take his business elsewhere since he feels the city is leaning more toward the tourism industry than focusing on local businesses and residents.
One Salem man understands Panos' concerns as he avoided going downtown to local shops he typically goes to during the Halloween season.
"Nobody could get in there to go shopping or anything," Tony Garro, a Salem resident said. "No one could get haircuts and the other guy that cuts hair had to close every Saturday because he couldn't get into his own shop."
While Panos said his salon's finances were a big problem during Salem's tourism season, he was also concerned for his and others' safety with consistently large crowds.
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