Wet Weather Wreaks Havoc On Broward Businesses
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
SUNRISE (CBSMiami) – The wet week was very bad for business.
Especially for Road Dawgs Saloon in Davie, which had its grand opening canceled until Saturday.
"Regular customers who would be here all the time were not able to get in. A few that did had damage to their car and had to be towed out," said Linda Powell.
The popular Sawgrass Mills Mall was closed again Friday due to standing water in its parking lots.
This is the third consecutive day that the complex will be closed due to flooding.
Danny Ozark, who was in the plaza to do a little shopping, said he can understand.
"Florida is notoriously flat, there's no place to push the water and rain," said Ozark. "With the amount of rain that we had, I mean, they can't dump it out in the river anymore."
Several days of torrential rain overwhelmed the drainage system at the mall, up to 15 inches of rain fell over a three-day period. The water is draining, just not as fast as some had hoped. A spokesperson for Sunrise said the mall and city have a good system but that "your cup will run over" maybe once in a lifetime.
Sawgrass Mills management is responsible for maintaining their retention ponds and making sure the overflow water in them gets to canals and pumping stations operated by the City of Sunrise.
Friday morning Jay Thomas struggled through floodwaters to get over to the mall only to find more water.
"I tried to run through it but my scooter stalled out and I had to walk through it," said Thomas, "Coming here everything was blocked off and I couldn't get here."
After three days of no business and customers being shut out, Thomas and Ozark said the mall stores must be feeling the pinch.
"That's a lot of money gone. I bet they're hurting," said Thomas.
"It's got to be pretty substantial that's for sure. I can see how Sawgrass is such a big hit with tourists. But as you can see Home Depot (next door) is still busy," said Ozark.
The mall's website states that it will reopen at 10 a.m. Saturday, even though the forecast calls for more rain.
Now that the water is subsiding, damage is being assessed. It's brought the realization that the big rain hit pocket books. Just ask the guys at Carl's Barbershop on State Route 84.
"Yes, we all lost a whole day pay. Not a good thing. No," said Francisco Abreau.