Flood ravaged businesses struggle to reopen as North Andover seeks emergency help
NORTH ANDOVER - Merrimack Valley residents and business owners have until the end of the day Thursday to submit damage claims from last week's flooding. However, it's not clear who will qualify for help.
Cleanup is still ongoing continued in the East and West Mills in North Andover, nine days after the storms.
"It was just crazy," said Anna Lyons of TasteBuds Kitchen. "We saw couches in the street; we saw toys. There was just everything floating around."
For Gregg Lindsay, owner of Good Day Cafe, his restaurant is still without power.
"It's been difficult. It really has. Physically, you're working in an environment that's pretty toxic so it makes you feel sick, but you still have to keep on going to get some things accomplished," he said.
Lindsay's restaurant is without finished floors and a number or fixtures, and his equipment has been rendered worthless by the flood waters. He describes the damage as a "pretty full destruction of the place."
He's now playing a waiting game, having calculated and submitted his initial estimate of losses and expenses to the town, which hopes to obtain disaster assistance from state and federal governments.
The town says it's still not clear whether it will qualify for assistance.
In the meantime, Lindsay is trying to figure out when he can get his business back up and running.
"Initially, I thought days. Then it turned to weeks. Now it's looking like probably, I would say, two months, probably" he said.
The local YMCA offered up its Learning Kitchen for Lindsay's team to work out of and perhaps pick up some catering jobs to keep the business afloat.
North Andover's paperwork to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency is due Monday.
