Plano Businesses Holding Up Against Superman (Filming)

Fax machine beep. Telephone chirp. Chopping sounds of flying helicopters. Objects exploding.

These sounds have become commonplace for the businesses on Plano's Main Street that are staying open during the filming of the Superman reboot Man of Steel. Production activity seemed to intensify this week, as portions of Main Street were blocked by black screens.

The Beacon-News cited "reports" in an article posted Monday about the prop 7-Eleven at Main and Center streets being blown up. The article also mentioned a series of explosions in the Smallville set between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Monday

“We’re coping,” said Marlene Kee, owner of The Office Works Inc., 5 E. Main St. “The helicopters come very low. And on Main Street, cars are tipped over, and there’s smoke.”

Because downtown Plano has become , the roads often are blocked off. This makes deliveries a little more inconvenient for The Office Works Inc.

“Sometimes the road is open, sometimes it’s not,” Kee said. “They can’t run and tell us every minute when it’s happening.”

Despite Main Street’s off and on traffic woes, business has been steady for The Office Works Inc.

“We thought it would be really slow, and it hasn’t been,” Kee said. “Sometimes it’s frustrating when we can’t get a delivery truck through right away.”

But she is taking it all in stride.

“It is what it is, and we’re all going to very excited to see it on the big screen,” Kee said.

Jacy Mosser, branch manager of Illinois Community Credit Union, 6 W. Main St., said the noise isn’t that bad.

“We deal with the train every single day,” she said.

Parking has been “a little tough” for patrons, Mosser said, “but most people are managing to figure it out.”

“We’re working through all the kinks so by the time (filming) is over everyone’s going to be a pro,” she said.

Mosser is looking forward to seeing the town on the big screen.

“It’s really exciting for the Plano,” she said.

Possibilities Hair Salon, 201 W. Main St., has been closed during filming but will re-open Sept. 6.

Before shutting down the shop earlier this month, owner Nicole Diaz ran a “super” promotion in conjunction with the filming, offering discounts on salon services. This brought some unexpected notoriety.

“I had a sidewalk sign that said ‘Super Salon Event’ and somebody took a picture of it,” Diaz said, with a laugh. “I mean, maybe they'll make a scrapbook? More power to them — it just seemed odd to me.”