Boston, MA Orange Line Shutdown: Vendors at Haymarket Impacted

Saturday was only the first full day of disruptions to service along the MBTA's Orange Line, but some businesses are already feeling the effects on their bottom line.

Some vendors at Boston's historic Haymarket, for instance, say there's already less money coming in.

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"It's just singles, I'm barely making any profit," one vendor, who did not want to be identified, told NBC10 Boston Saturday. "I can’t even get the money of the product itself because two thirds of my customers are not here."

The vendor said she pays $20 per pallet of produce, and $1,000 a week to rent her spot at the market. She said she doesn't even want to think about what it's going to be like for her in a couple of weeks.

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"I don’t even know how I’m going to pay my rent or employees," she said. "It’s just ridiculous at this point. If it’s going to go for a month, I think we’ll all go home at this point."

Mayor Wu says the city continues to work closely with the MBTA, to make the closure go as smoothly as possible for commuters.

Otto Gallotto, President of the Haymarket Pushcart Association, said Saturday that he was selling everything on the cheap.

"I’m selling it for $3 a box," he said. "They cost me more than that. And that’s good for the consumer right now but that’s not good for me."

Haymarket has the distinction of being one of the country's oldest open air markets. It's found in the heart of downtown Boston, not far from Faneuil Hall and the North End. The Haymarket MBTA stop is typically served by both the Orange Line and Green Line. The northern part of the Green Line that stops there will also be temporarily shut down and replaced with shuttles beginning Monday.

Mayor Wu rode the Commuter Rail Saturday after giving an update on the Orange Line closure, which began Friday night.

"Usually we have people here by the droves," Gallotto said. "I had a woman tell me she was from Brigham Circle and it took her two and a half hours to get here."

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu encouraged riders Saturday to take advantage of the alternatives being offered to them during the month-long shutdown of the Orange Line, including free shuttles and Commuter Rail rides within the city.