A State of Emergency in Prescott?

As I recently noted, we’ve been getting the storm warnings since last week. Of course, the storm really arrived Wednesday, a few days late.

Now that it’s here it is doing some damage.  We’re not totally snowed in or anything.  Water is the problem, and it’s funny.  We need water, but if we get too much too fast we have trouble.

Yesterday I ran down to Sadira’s shop late morning / early afternoon to give a hand.  Her shop was filling with water, the roof wasn’t acting like a roof as it seemed to be raining in the back of the store, etc.  Stopping by the gallery to grab a mop I found Ian with buckets all over the smaller room of our store.  A vent was venting water into the center of the room.  Fortunately nothing in our shop was damaged.

Sadira’s store has really taken a hit.  She’s going to be fighting the water until this storm is over.  What a pain.  Hopefully this weekend she’ll dry out, and next week her landlord can get some roof repairs going!

So, the water is the issue here.  Arizona is not equipped for lots of water in a small time frame.  And the City of Prescott apparently just declared a state of emergency.  They’d like to keep folks off the streets, and I do understand that.  Just the other day someone slid on ice right into the back of Ian’s truck.  Being on the roads isn’t safe.

Now, here comes my “but.”  The storm warnings, and now the storm, have killed my business this week.  And it’s killed business for everyone in town.  The storm and it’s reality….yup, I understand that.  All the hype and warnings days ahead of time…..yeah, just didn’t help.

Once this is all over folks I certainly hope to see you in downtown Prescott.  For some of our small businesses, even 1 week without customers can do us in.  So, when the sun comes out I really hope to see you out supporting your favorite small shops!