UPDATED: PiNZ Power Back After 4 Days

UPDATED: PiNZ owner David Breen announced Thursday morning that power has been restored; the business will open at noon today, Sept. 1.

Original story: Hurricane Irene blew into town Sunday, ruining plans and finances with a random hand.

Some businesses, spared by tree or pole damage nearby, never lost power. Then they were blessed twice, because several thousand families in Milford initially were left with no electrical power, and many of them went out to eat.

For the businesses without power, losses are mounting. The damage depends on how much revenue they're losing and what materials had to be purchased, or discarded.

Restaurants that lost power are taking the hardest hit because many had to dump all of their refrigerated and frozen foods. At, owner David Breen estimated he has discarded $15,000 in perishables.

The food waste includes everything from steaks and hamburger meat to produce to gallon-containers of salad dressings — basically everything needed to prepare meals. In the bar, he'll have to toss any beer that's been tapped. He has 18 on draft. In addition, Breen said, he's losing about $7,000 a day in gross revenue at his business, which also includes a bowling alley and video arcade.

He estimates his losses at about $60,000.

"I'm beside myself," he said Wednesday.

For Breen, the problem is easily identified: a transformer and utility pole across South Main Street. His power source disappeared when wind blew trees across the lines Sunday, breaking the transformer, and knocking out power to PinZ and a small residential neighborhood across the street.

Ironically, just around the corner, is up and running. It draws from a different source, and its power was not affected by the tropical storm.

PinZ — normally a loud, vibrant place — was silent and dark Wednesday. Breen has draped security lights throughout, and is paying managers to staff the building round-the-clock, for fear of fire hazard. His 70 employees have been furloughed.

The most frustrating point, he said, is no one can tell him when he might have power again. On Wednesday, he was among 1,000 customers of National Grid in the same position. But his power is needed for his livelihood.

Breen said he looked into leasing a generator, but the cost for his site was prohibitive. He recently learned that his insurance company will not cover his losses — although he purchased "business interruption insurance."

The anxiety has spread to his family. On Wednesday, when a National Grid crew arrived to inspect the location of the transformer break, Breen's mother approached them, and tried to lobby on his behalf, to get that particular transformer on a priority list.

"She gave it some motherly attention," Breen said. "She begged and pleaded as a mother would do."

In his case, his mother may have worked. Not long after, Breen said, he noticed a utility pole had been dropped off near the site.

Now, if only a crew would arrive to put it in place: "I'm crossing my fingers."