Turmoil in wake of Sebastopol flood clouds recovery at The Barlow

April 21-- Apr. 21--Two men atop a hydraulic lift outside Zazu Kitchen & Farm caught people's attention at The Barlow last week as they carefully freed a massive pink, junk art pig from the upper corner of the eatery and prepared to move it off-site.

The well-known restaurant was among the original Barlow tenants when the marketplace and maker space debuted in 2013, bringing "industrial chic" to Sebastopol's former apple packing district and revitalizing a corner of town known earlier for rundown warehouses and closed canneries.

The porcine sculpture created by beloved local artist Patrick Amiot -- its form providing the signature image for art throughout Zazu -- had hung outside like a sentry since the beginning.

But in the wake of flooding that caused millions of dollars in damage throughout the upscale market district in February, the husband-and-wife team behind Zazu abruptly pulled up stakes Thursday and moved their equipment and personal property off The Barlow grounds.

"Uh-oh," a passer-by said as the move was underway. "You don't take the pig down for nothing."

Zazu was well on its way to being restored and readied to reopen. But owner Duskie Estes said she and her husband, John Stewart, reached impasse before they could even start negotiating with Barlow owner Barney Aldridge over compensation for their losses. They and many of their fellow Barlow proprietors believe those losses were avoidable had carefully laid flood protection measures been launched more quickly than they were two months ago.

"We built our dream here," Estes said last week, as workers loaded trucks with stainless steel ranges, refrigeration units and other commercial kitchen equipment used for Zazu and Black Pig Meat Co., operated within.

Though the floodwaters have long since retreated to the Laguna de Santa Rosa where they originated, the confusion and chaos of the disaster endures for many. Financial hardship persists amid a tangle of lingering questions and finger-pointing over The Barlow's response in the storm and its aftermath. Zazu's departure from the village is merely the latest, most visible sign of continued turmoil.

Before the flood, the 12-acre complex had been home to about three dozen businesses, including restaurants, galleries and artisanal shops, brewpubs, wineries and tasting rooms. Many of those spots once inundated with muddy water now gleam with new interiors, while renovations continue at mostly larger, more complex spaces, like the revered Village Bakery, where owners don't plan to reopen until at least summer.

Eleven of 24 flood-damaged businesses are back in operation. The most reopenings include Adelle Stoll, Gallery 300 and Lori Austin Gallery, side-by-side businesses all owned by women who celebrated together last weekend.

Several proprietors, like Stoll, praised Aldridge for his diligence in getting their doors back open and making generous upgrades in the process.

"Everybody's situation is different," said Jake Rand, chef/owner at Sushi Kosho, which is undergoing a complete redesign and adding a bar. "But for us, just like when we're in business, we consider The Barlow more than just a landlord. The way these leases are set up, it's more of a partnership."

But many are still struggling with financial uncertainties even as they march forward with plans to reopen.

While Aldridge and his team are hard at work restoring the shells of the spaces he leases out, the equipment, furnishings and merchandise meant to go inside remain the responsibility of the tenants, most of whom do not have flood insurance, given prohibitive costs.

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