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Several businesses are closing on this major North Hills road, so what’s going on?

ROSS TWP., Pa. — McKnight Road in Ross Township might be one of the busiest business districts in the North Hills.

But recently you will notice a lot of empty storefronts. When you drive up and down this long stretch of road it’s hard not to notice all the signs that say “For Lease,” and “For sale.”

Even big box stores are affected, like Ross, which closed for good.

At least half a dozen businesses have closed on the road since the pandemic began. Some include The Vitamin Shoppe, Ross Dress for Less, Carlisle’s Bridal and Steinmart, which is now a COVID-19 testing site.

Dan Demarco, president of the Ross Township Board of Commissioners said from 2019 to 2020, the township saw a $100,000 drop in business privilege tax and another $250,000 drop in mercantile tax.

“I think yeah there are some businesses that may certainly in the McKnight corridor may have been impacted by COVID-19,” he said.

But — income tax was slightly higher.

“If it starts to be a concern to us, certainly if there’s anything we can do to entice businesses or work with other economic development entities to find out what’s going on and what we can do, if there’s anything we can to help, then we certainly are willing to do that,” he said.

Jim Boltz, president of the Pittsburgh North Regional Chapter, says it’s not just a McKnight Road problem — it’s an issue all over the North Hills, and the pandemic is to blame.

“It’s hard because you have all these building costs or fixed costs that don’t vary because you only have 50% in,” he said.

But customers have hope that one day business will be back.