Loss Of Power Took A Toll On Borough Businesses

Stonington Borough bore a strong resemblance to a ghost town for most of the week. Water Street should have been bustling with tourists and townies enjoying their last days of summer but multiple days without power left the streets noticeably absent of cars and only and people.

On Thursday evening when the power came back you hear the cheers in the borough and on Facebook where the Stonington Borough Merchants Association posted this message: “THE BORO IS BACK!!!! All businesses should be up and running tomorrow morning for the holiday weekend! Please SHOP. DINE. STAY. The boro businesses have been hard hit by almost 6 days (plus 1 day to batten down hatches) without business. Support your local businesses, now more than ever!!! See you on Water Street!”

Tropical Storm Irene caused many businesses to close early on the last Saturday of August, and loss of power left many places closed for most of the week taking a toll on the local shops and .

On Thursday, still without power, but with a large generator out front, the opened for the first time since they closed at 4 p.m., on Saturday, August 27. Newly delivered boxes and boxes of food replaced all of the perishables they lost. 

"We lost $55,000 worth of revenue", said owner Dave Eck, "and that will never happen again because we are buying a generator.”

Nearby, also opened Thursday for the first time since Tropical Storm Irene blew through town. Sarah Bliven, a manager at the shop, estimated that they were down close to $10,000 in revenue from the lost days.

Pam Cullis, the owner of Zia’s, sat on the bench outside of her shop reading for part of the week.

"This is a sight you would never find all summer,” Cullis said. “This is the first time I sat on the bench.

opened Wednesday without power accepting cash or checks, but no one was around to shop.

Further up the street Carolyn Yost of Carolyn Yost Estate Jewelry & Stonington Antiques Etc. estimated she had lost "a lot,” this week.

"This whole week is normally a big week," she said. She deals in antiques and estate jewelry, as well as selling engagement rings, so many of her sales are for large dollar amounts.

She also rents out vacation rentals. Canceling the eight people coming in the next day to rent an apartment for a wedding was a big hit.

"The lost business is unfortunate in the shop," Yost said, "but the apartment rental is the killer, because I have that money already and have to give it back."

Nancy Apthorp of figured they had lost several thousand dollars since the storm.  Earlier in the week armed with a flashlight Apthorp even helped one customer pick out a whole new wardrobe in the dark.

The woman came in and said she had to buy some clothes because they were all dirty and she was leaving the next day for a trip, Apthorp said.

Stores and restaurants began opening with power on Friday morning, hoping for a good Labor Day Weekend.