Blacksburg Businesses Struggle Without Students | Roanoke News

Blacksburg’s downtown is reeling this summer as Virginia Tech students head out, leaving businesses scrambling for customers. With the student population gone for what feels like half the year, restaurants and shops are facing one of their toughest seasons ever. While some hope tourists will fill the gap, parking woes and construction make it hard to attract foot traffic. Local owners are pushing for more consistent summer events, like daily concert series, to keep things lively. But for now, they’re just holding on—waiting for the campus to buzz back to life when students return in a few we...