About the only thing Obama’s good at.

Via Vineyard Gazette:

West Tisbury businesses, from a gas station to farm stand vendors, fear that the partial closure of South Road and prominent detour signs spurred by President Obama’s visit will hurt sales during one of the busiest weeks of the year.

President Obama arrived for a nine-day visit on Martha’s Vineyard last Saturday. The first family is staying at a private home off South Road in Chilmark. Because of security concerns, South Road is closed between Meeting House Road and Wootton Bassett Road until August 18.

Large neon detour signs are in place, including in front of the West Tisbury fire station and at the intersection of Edgartown-West Tisbury Road and State Road. The signs warn that the road is closed ahead and advise vehicles to take a North Road detour. Signs are also in place along State Road in North Tisbury, directing traffic off State Road and toward Menemsha.

But a handful of West Tisbury businesses situated between the detour signs and the road closure say the traffic change will keep people away from the village center at the very height of summer and the week of the Agricultural Fair. The fair begins Thursday.

“We are very impacted by this,” said Andrea Rogers, manager for the Vineyard Artisans Festivals, which take place Thursdays and Sundays at the Grange Hall. More than 70 artists sell ceramics, jewelry and art at the festivals.

“August is our make it or break it month, so this is the worst possible time of the year to block access,” she added. “It impacts a lot of people.”

HT: WHD