City of Beaufort brings back Downtown Dollars to support businesses facing shopping slowdown

BEAUFORT, S.C. (WTOC) - Some businesses in downtown, Beaufort are hoping for a change of luck heading into the holiday shopping season.Over the last year and some change, local shops and restaurants along Bay Street have had to navigate several hurdles that have significantly impacted foot traffic and operations, from the ongoing closure of portions of the waterfront to an extensive stormwater project.The slowdown followed a post-pandemic boom that businesses are now struggling to replicate.“Every parking spot was full, every restaurant was packed, and waiting lists were hours out,” Southern Sweets Manager Payton Gordon said. “It’s definitely been a big impact on a lot of businesses just because the tourists, they come here once and maybe they’ll buy a handful of things, but then they don’t want to come back, or they won’t tell other people to come back because they might have not enjoyed it as much as they were hoping that they would.”Those compounding challenges recently claimed a po