Autoglass technicians busy following hailstorm; hotel bookings are up locally

June 24--Business is booming in Abilene following the June 12 hailstorm that battered the east side of the city.

Hotels, autoglass, vehicle repair, insurance and other service industry businesses remain busy as hailstorm victims attempt to resolve issues regarding damage property. Many are finding time is a factor.

Storm victims must wait for an open spot to get their windshields fixed though many companies are bringing in extra staff to ease the demand as quickly as possible.

"Although two weeks have gone by we are still asking everyone to be as patient as possible, we are doing everything possible to get them taken care of as quickly as we can," said John Scarborough, district manager of Safelite AutoGlass.

Those with multiple but repairable vehicle damage are being encouraged to have windshields replaced now. It will take longer to replace autobody parts, have dents popped and painting done.

Thousands of vehicles were damaged in the storm. Others were totaled.

Safelite has set up a service area in the Sears parking lot at Mall of Abilene and has served more than 400 customers, he said.

"I have been preparing glass for installation since 7:30 a.m. My big thing is to make sure I get the glass installed in a timely manner to get our customers back on the road, but I also want it done properly so it doesn't have any air leaks or any other issues," said Ryan Dunn, an employee at Safelite for a year.

On Friday, Safelite technicians serviced about 100 vehicles, with about the same total expected Monday.

"Since we've been out here we've been able to service over 90 vehicles a day or in other words, 150 pieces of glass," said Shawn Shofner, sales manager at Safelite. "Most vehicles that we are servicing have multiple pieces of glass knocked out."

"We are still very booked. Our first available appointment for customers who are calling in today will be on Thursday," Shofner said.

Usually, Safelite has only two or three technicians that service the Abilene area daily. But due to the storm, the company has called in disaster teams members for additional help.

"We brought in 10 more technicians from as far away as Phoenix, Arizona, to help service everyone as quickly as possible," Shofner said.

"John, who is the district manager realized it was a disaster and called us," said Ripka, an employee and member of the disaster team of Safelite for a total of nine years. "We will be in Abilene until July 2, but if more work needs to be done, we will stay until it has been."

Overwhelmed Hotels

Hotels are booming with business from autoglass companies, repairmen, insurance adjusters and roofers who are settling into town.

Nayna Patel, general manager for Sleep Inn and Suites on South Danville Drive, said the hotel started getting busy last week and hasn't stopped.

"I'm loving it," she said. "I wish it would last forever. The good parts, though, not the bad parts."

Stephanie O'Neill, manager for the Whitten Inn University on State Highway 351, said a few rooms usually remain open in the afternoon,but completely sell out by nighttime, every night.

"We've just had a very large increase in rooms," she said. "It has been crazy over here."

O'Neill said many customers, especially insurance adjusters, reserve rooms from Monday to Friday, but about 25 to 30 customers have reserved rooms a weekly or monthly basis.

Deborah Sanchez, director of sales at MCM Elegante Suites on Ridgemont Drive near the Mall of Abilene, said customers are reserving rooms on a week-to-week basis.

She said the hotel has primarily seen insurance companies coming in and out of the facility.

Comfort Inn and Suites on Directors Parkway also has experienced an increase in customers.

"We've been pretty fully booked the last few days," said Brianna Nisi, front desk clerk. The customers are a mix of insurance adjusters and those in the roofing business.

Not all hotels have seen an extraordinary rise in the number of customers.

Ash Patel, general manager for the Whitten Inn on East Highway 80, said the hotel has seen average business for the past few days.

He said the hotel was full of people coming to Abilene for family reunions and other events last week -- the usual customers -- but this week has been relatively quiet.

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