The water main break in downtown Scranton was repaired Tuesday morning, but businesses are still hurting from the effects of two main breaks in less than two weeks.
SCRANTON, Pa. — “There are definitely a lot of challenges; yes, I would say,” said Nadine Bryant, owner of Freedlove.
A summer of construction projects and water main breaks is taking a toll on small businesses.
“The challenges have been much more than ever with everything that’s going on,” said Bryant.
The weight of the challenges is especially heavy on Bryant’s shoulders after going through two water main breaks in less than two weeks in downtown Scranton. “The first water main break that happened, a pipe burst in the ceiling right above us. and the water came down from above in the majority of the store,” she said.
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Meaning Bryant is working overtime to get what she can salvage out of the store, getting ready to hold a pop-up sale this week to help. “I’ve already had to hire movers to move a majority of the inventory that could be saved, but, instead of having to hire movers again, I want to move my merchandise and also I’m losing the season, a lot of it is new stuff, it’s summer items and the season is passing, I don’t know when i’ll be able to get back in.”
Freedlove’s neighbor, Northern Light Expresso Bar, is also struggling with a loss of business from the water main breaks in the area.
Zummo’s Cafe in the city’s Green Ridge section is stepping in to lend a hand.
“It’s heartbreaking for one, to watch this every day in a small business. It’s important. Every single day. So as we were saying, I mean they lost multiple days. It’s truly, truly heartbreaking,” said Lindsay Joyce, General Manager, Zummo’s Cafe.
Zummo’s Cafe is selling a Northern Light’s favorite, the Northern Iced Mocha Latte, and donating the money right back to Northern Light.
“Again, all of us raise each other up, so like, any business doing well, the other business is going to do great too. So thankfully we’re here, we’re open, we have water for now, so what can we do to help, and this is a very, very, very small drop in the bucket,” said Joyce.
Freedlove is also seeing support from the community.
“I would say, more than anything, besides like family and friends, the local businesses have reached out the most, and just like customers too, have been so supportive as well,” said Bryant.
“So everyone’s looking to help out; we’re just the vessel to help,” added Joyce.
Freedlove says the pop-up sale will be this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.