Flood-Damaged Stores In Seymour Could Reopen By Christmas

SEYMOUR – Most of the store owners in the flood-damaged Klarides Village Plaza said they hope to be back in business around Christmas.

Thirteen businesses in the shopping center on Route 67 have been closed since the freakish flash flood of Aug 18.

“We’re anxious for our tenants to reopen,” said state Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria, whose family owns the plaza through Klarides Family Associates. ​“These people are like our family and being out of business as long as they’ve been, and not making any money, it hurts us just as much as it hurts them. We can’t wait to see everyone open again.”

The stores were damaged when the nearby Little River flooded its banks, with rushing water taking out everything from freezers to walls to inventory inside the stores.

Klarides-Ditria said rebuilding has been complicated. The buildings date back to 1972 and 1974. Example: the electrical system had to be brought up to modern standards, which meant coordinating with utility companies.

“Now, because the plaza is being rebuilt, we had to bring things up to meet the new code. We were waiting for Eversource for upgrades and to electrify the plaza,” she said.

Electricity was only recently restored to the property.

Mother Nature’s Fury

The Route 67 Family Diner, Woodland Wine & Liquor and Seymour Nails & Spa were among the worst-hit stores in Klarides Village.

None of the businesses in the shopping center carried flood insurance. Owners interviewed by The Valley Indy said they were told by their insurance companies they didn’t need it.

Klarides-Ditria said the plaza itself had $1.5 million in flood insurance, which she’s waiting to come through to continue to help with rebuilding efforts.

“We hope to recoup all of that but got a $1.4 million quote and are trying to fight (the insurance company) to get all of it,” Klarides-Ditria said.

In addition to waiting on insurance money, Klarides-Ditria said the plaza owners applied for $1 million in aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“We’re still waiting on that,” Klarides-Ditria said.

Funding Help

Many of the business owners within the plaza applied for low-interest loans administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). But, according to a press release issued by SBA on Oct. 15, funding for that program ran out in mid-October. SBA officials said increased demand from Hurricane Helene, which in September caused damage in six states, helped to drain the fund.

According to the SBA, new loan offers for disaster survivors are on pause until Congress appropriates additional funds. The SBA, according to the press release, is still encouraging individuals and small businesses to continue to apply for loans.

However, Sharon Gadbois, a SBA spokeswoman, told The Valley Indy that the Connecticut disaster fund earmarked for flooding victims has about $1.7 million in it, and to date, about $400,000 was distributed. 

Gadbois said anyone who had an approved application prior to the lapse in funding will not be impacted.

“The SBA is working closely with Congress to secure the resources needed to restore full support as quickly as possible,” Gadbois said in an email. ​“For those who still have not applied for assistance, SBA continues to accept and review applications. Once Congress provides additional funding, the SBA will quickly resume new loan offers based on the order in which applications were received. Borrowers do not need to reapply once funding is restored.”

Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659‑2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance.

What The Business Owners Are Saying

Mike Abe, owner of the Route 67 Family Diner, said he applied for an SBA loan about three weeks ago but received an email telling him the funding ran out.

“I still have hope to reopen by Christmas,” Abe said. ​“Right now, I’m using our private money to try to get back. We were in the middle of the (loan) application process and then received an email saying ​‘we’re sorry, there’s no money.’”

Abe said he received grant money from the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). The state announced a $5 million micro grant program in August for small business owners.

“I did get some grant money which helped me pay some bills, and it was definitely something, but I certainly need more to get back up and running,” Abe said.

Abe opened the diner in 2014. As the father of three sons, Abe refers to the diner as ​“my fourth boy.” He lost all his inventory, tables, chairs, booths, benches, silverware and more, but not hope.

“I still have the hope to reopen and I’d love to be open as soon as possible and am doing everything I can to get the diner back open,” Abe said.

Plaza Owners Helping Rebuild

The inside of the diner has been completely cleaned of all the ​“muck” and debris that came with the flooding, according to Klarides-Ditria.

Klarides-Ditria said contractors, including Doug Bousquet, Phil Pedros and Tim Connors, have been working in ​“Building Three,” which houses Woodland, the nail salon and Valley Coins. 

She said the plaza owners are responsible for giving each business what is called a ​“vanilla box” – new walls, floors and ceilings. 

“We have to give our tenants back the floors, walls, ceilings, and then they are responsible for everything else like replacing booths, tables, stoves and cash registers,” Klarides-Ditria said.

Grateful For Help

At Woodland Wine & Spirits, owner Neil Patel said he is grateful for all the Klarides family, as owners, and the community at large has been doing in terms of supporting his efforts to come back. 

Contractors have installed fresh new tile flooring, walls and a drop ceiling. The restored empty space is now just waiting for new shelving, a giant cooler and new wine, beer and liquor inventory – all on order – to arrive, Patel said.

Patel said he’s hoping to reopen by mid-November. 

He said he took a $1 million loss in equipment and inventory. Patel said he thought he’d never be able to reopen, but through help from a GoFundMe page that has raised over $10,000, state grant money, and the support of the plaza and owners and community, his hope has been restored. 

He’s also awaiting SBA funds. 

“We hope we can reopen before Thanksgiving,” Patel said. ​“I thought we’d never be able to recover from this, but the community, the Klarides family and all the volunteers who helped, made me really strong and we will come back stronger and better than ever. I have no words for all the people who called me and supported me and gave me hope.”

Patel and his family have owned the package store for nearly 21 years. He was able to secure a $25,000 state grant to help pay some bills and order some new inventory.

Fellow business owner Atilio Marini owns the Cast Iron Chef Pizza restaurant in the same plaza. The business is located in Building 1, which is a little further up on higher ground from the diner and package store, which bore the brunt of flooding damage. Marini said he incurred all his damage in the basement and lost about $6,000 in food and liquor. He, too, was able to get some state grant money to help. He said he’s ready to reopen soon.

“We only need about two weeks to open again,” Marini said. ​“We were just waiting for the power to come back on.”

Town And Valley Chamber Officials React

Seymour First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis said she is looking forward to the plaza coming back.

“The businesses are moving along with their renovations, and we are anxiously awaiting and hopeful within the next few weeks that we will have a grand reopening,” Drugonis said. ​“We will build back up. Seymour is a small community with a big heart and everyone in this community is behind these businesses, which are coming back stronger.”

Drugonis said an anonymous donor last month donated a $20,000 check to help the plaza businesses recover. Since the donor didn’t specify how the money should be dispersed, the Board of Selectpersons is working with Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Chris Edwards – who’s been working with the business owners – in determining the best way to divvy up the funds.

Valley Chamber of Commerce President Bill Purcell said he’s been keeping close tabs on the plaza, where 13 businesses suffered major loss. Two of the plaza’s businesses, Elite Fitness and Karaku sushi restaurant, never had to close, and Wells Fargo bank was only closed for a day or two after the flood.

“Klarides Village was one of the hardest hit commercial districts, with a dozen businesses still shuttered more than two months after that tragic day,” Purcell said. ​“The Chamber is truly inspired by the courage, resilience and can-do attitude of the businesses in the plaza and their resolve to come back stronger than ever. We remain hopeful that Congress will quickly restore funding to the SBA Disaster Loan program to provide impacted business with access to long-term, fixed rate loans to finance their rebuilding efforts.”

Purcell credited town and state officials, as well as the plaza owners for their ​“unwavering support” and efforts to help the businesses in their journey to get back on their feet.