HURRICANE MICHAEL: Local businesses get boost, give charity as people seek repair work
Each morning locally, the westbound lanes of
At the same time, the eastbound lanes of
In the evenings, the flow reverses, as people who've been in
Perhaps most immediately apparent is the impact of post-hurricane economic dynamics on lodging options in and around
"There's just not a lot available right now," said
Experiencing an economic boom after a hurricane isn't a new phenomenon locally, Moody said.
"We saw it for a long time after Katrina," he said. Hurricane Katrina hit west of the area in 2005, destroying parts of
That local boom lasted a couple of years, Moody said, and helped -- for a time -- shield the
Another place where the local post-Hurricane Michael economic boom is evident is big-box building supply stores.
"It's been a madhouse the last couple of days,"
As the hurricane churned in the
Now, with the focus changing to recovery and repair, Home Depot customers are looking for things like large plastic storage containers for salvaged belongings, according to
That was the case for
In addition to picking up a number of large plastic storage containers for retrieving some of their belongings, the Lopezes were in
For the immediate future, the couple said, they'll be making regular trips into
Residents of
"I can't get her out of
It's not only big-box stores, gas stations and hotels and condominiums that are seeing the economic boom. Plenty of other, locally owned, businesses are also experiencing a spike in customers.
Among them is the Klean Wash laundromat in
On Thursday afternoon,
"We feel blessed," Macomb said. Still, she's now driving four hours every other day (90 minutes into
"I haven't been to a laundromat in so many years," she said. "I had to ask how to use the machines."
Macomb's story is typical, according to
"We're actually overwhelmed,"
But, she added, she and her husband and their employees are mindful of the tough circumstances in which some of their customers are now living, and will often cover the cost of detergent and washing for some of their more unfortunate customers.
In some instances, the clothes that people bring in are "all they have left in the entire world," Baca said. Sometimes, the clothes, covered with mud and flecked with building insulation, clearly have been salvaged from destroyed homes and yards, she said.
"We're doing anything we can do on cost," she said. In some instances, that help comes from the local lodging businesses for which
"They'll say, 'On our next order, add
"It's nice to have additional business," she said, "but you're giving a lot of stuff away"
Still, she quickly added., "I just feel sorry for the people. I wish I could do more."
A few doors down in
Early in the aftermath of the hurricane, when people didn't have ready access to automatic teller machines and their credit cards weren't working, Seeling covered the cost of meals. Since then, his son has taken food from the restaurant into the hurricane-damaged area and handed it out on street corners, and Seeling himself is planning to take 600 meals into devastated areas on Sunday to provide free meals to residents and emergency responders.
As far as the customers who come into his restaurant after a day of dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, Seeling said, "If we can give them a half-hour or 45 minutes of a smile, that's what it's all about."
And, Seeling added, he'll continue to try to find ways to help storm victims and recovery workers.
"I wouldn't do it any other way," he said. "My conscience won't let me. My spirituality won't let me."
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