First Monday businesses have to vacate

CANTON – Water has been shut off to The Old Mill Marketplace and business owners have 30 days to leave. The land where the businesses operate has new ownership and on July 8th, their water was shut off by the city as the land transferred hands. Business owners said the new owner tried to reconnect the service, but told our news partner KETK there were several violations that had to be fixed before water could be restored.

“He said it’s too expensive. They want him to redo the entire infrastructure,” Buffalo Girls Hotel, Susan Matasse said.

For thirty years, Matasse has run the Buffalo Girls hotel. She now has to tell her loyal customers that they will no longer have a place to stay.

KETK spoke with the new owner on the phone. He did not confirm whether he tried to reconnect the water but said he bought the land as an investment and plans to sell.

“If he were to sit here and say, I’ll give you fair market value, I’ll give you what your buildings are worth, that would be different,” Shelby Watson, owner of Mountain Hideout Hotel, said.

Shelby Watson, owner of the Mountain Hideout Hotel, is trying to figure out next steps after putting her life’s work into four buildings.

“It’s almost like we had a little community here and it’s kind of like, you’re in a business and you’re doing things and someone doesn’t even ask you and just says, get out,” Watson said.

Now businesses are having a mass liquidation sale.

“How am I going to leave all that kind of stuff? I don’t know. I have no idea but I’m going to take it one day at a time and get through it,” Matasse said.

Business owners have until August 17th to vacate the premises.