Ask Woodville Mart owner Kevin Ashwell how the latest closure of the road through the Manawatu Gorge has affected his Vogel St business and he nods towards the street outside.
"It's pretty quiet," he says.
"We don't get the Wairarapa traffic coming through, it turns off at Pahiatua and takes the Track and some traffic also goes down Oxford Rd when it comes off the Saddle Rd, bypassing Woodville.
"Then there are others who've taken an extra 20 minutes to drive the Saddle Rd, who come through Woodville but don't stop because they don't have the time."
Mr Ashwell has owned his Vogel St business for 34 years and it's a mecca for those seeking out quality second hand and antique items. But he's not immune to the hit which comes with the closure of the gorge.
"The last big 14-month closure of the gorge put a lot of people around here into difficulty and it takes longer than people think to come back from something like this.
"If you're established, like me, you usually have some money put aside. It's the relatively new business owners I feel for."