Posted on 09/07/2005 3:07:47 PM PDT by WestTexasWend
Following the wrath of Katrina, many area businesses are contemplating the hurricane's effect on the local economy.
While some businesses, such as hardware stores and gas stations, saw an increase in business, others saw fewer customers in the days following the hurricane.
Local hardware store had a run on batteries and generators following last Monday's power outages.
Builder's Hardware reportedly went through 75 generators in the days following Katrina and could not keep up with demand.
Deckie Arinder, owner of Builder's Hardware, said he received 500-600 calls from people requesting generators last week.
"People were unreal wanting generators," Arinder said. "I'm 34-years-old and I've never seen anything like that."
Arinder said most of the customers were elderly persons needing generators to save the food in their freezers. He received no calls from people requesting generators to run their air-conditioners.
Arinder said the store stayed open late each night last week to keep up with demand.
Chip Luke, owner of Discount Building Materials Cash Supply, LLC in Forest, said he saw a decrease in business last week.
"I have written on my calendar 'No power, No gas, No customers' for the last few days" Luke said in his office Thursday.
The few customers that he had requested generators, which he did not have, Luke said.
But Luke expects business to pick up soon as customers seek shingles, roof decking, siding, tin and other materials to repair their homes.
Business owners have mixed opinions on Katrina's effect on the economy. Most cited possible gas shortages as the problem.
"We don't know what the gas situation ultimately will be," Luke said. "People won't be able to shop because they won't have gas. It could devastate the economy. Nothing runs without fuel."
Arinder, who also serves as president of the Forest Area Chamber of Commerce, said he has some concerns over Katrina's impact on local businesses.
"I think we'll have a lot of trickle down factors this way," Arinder said. "But we just need to give it a little time. People will come back around and the chaos over gas will die down."
Electric Power Associations of Mississippi had 144,761 outages at noon Wednesday...about 21 percent of its customers.
Entergy was down to 23,809 customers without power, about 1/4 of those in the Jackson metro area. Entergy expects power to be resored to all of central MS by Friday and the southern portion of their service area by Monday.
We're not hearing enough of this good news. God bless the linemen & crews in this difficult, dangerous work!
Amen to the linemen deserving a prayer and thanks. They work long hours (up to 16) and do dangerous work. One mistake and they and their families pay for it from then on.
Electricity is coming on faster than expected. Things will be up and running before long and business will pick up.
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