Joplin restaurant temporarily closes, citing 7th Street construction

A Joplin restaurant has temporarily closed its doors, saying ongoing road construction and a sharp decline in customer traffic has made it impossible to continue operating.

In a social media post, the Taco Shop said the closure is temporary but acknowledged the business could no longer stay open under current conditions.

"The road construction and the lack of customer traffic have made it impossible for us to continue operating right now. This wasn't an easy decision, but it's one we had to make."

The closure comes as Joplin continues work on 7th Street.

Several businesses along the construction corridor have reported reduced customer traffic as lane closures, detours and limited access have made it more difficult for customers to reach them.

Taco Stop's announcement prompted an outpouring of support on social media. Dozens of customers said they were saddened by the news.

The restaurant thanked customers for their support and said it hopes to reopen.

"This isn't goodbye. Our goal is to come back when the timing is right and the circumstances improve."

The owners did not announce a timeline for reopening.