Most Marietta area businesses were up and running Monday, less than three days after Friday's violent wind storm caused a major power outage for millions in Ohio and several other eastern states.
But the storm definitely had an impact on some, like the Town House bar and restaurant on Front Street.
"We just threw away about $2,000 worth of food that I had ordered for the weekend Friday," said owner Rachelle Matheny as she checked in a fresh food order on Monday afternoon.
Article Photos
SAM SHAWVER The Marietta Times
Randy Roe with Food Distribution, Inc., delivers a food shipment to the Town House on Front Street in Marietta Monday.
She said power was restored at the business Saturday, and the bar reopened at 10:30 that night.
"Since then we've been prepping to get the restaurant up, too. And today we have the freshest food in town," Matheny added.
Randy Roe with Food Distribution, Inc., was delivering Matheny's food order Monday.
Fact Box
At a glance
Marietta businesses were back online Monday:
Hotels were filled with area residents whose homes were without power following Friday's storm.
Grocery stores and restaurants were open and restocking perishable foods.
Fuel pumps at most Marietta area gas stations were back in operation.
Ice continued to be in short supply, but was on order at some stores.
Source: Times research.
"I've been delivering all over the area. Some places have reopened, and some are still waiting for the power to come back," he said.
The Marietta Brewing Company was closed all weekend following the storm, according to Dana Styer, co-owner of the business with husband, Tony Styer.
"We rented a generator, so we didn't lose any food," she said. "Friday night we lost power and closed early, and there was still no power through Saturday. We used Sunday to get caught up, and then opened on Monday."
One eatery not open Monday was the Cone 'N Shake on Pike Street where the weekend's high winds blew down a canopy adjacent to the food stand.
The CVS pharmacy at the corner of Butler and Third streets in Marietta was distributing cases of drinking water Monday afternoon.
"We had water available at two stores in Marietta and Parkersburg for those affected by Friday's storm," said Joanne Dwyer, CVS corporate spokeswoman.
"CVS hopes to get some water to those who need it the most," she said.
Business was brisk at the Lafayette Hotel all weekend.
"The power went out in the middle of our dinner shift, so we served the meal by candlelight," said front desk manager Julie Hambrecht. "We also served a wedding reception by candlelight Saturday."
She said hotel rooms rapidly filled up with people whose homes were left without power in the wake of Friday's storm. On Monday the hotel had booked its last room by 1 p.m.
"We've been calling around to other hotels to see if they have rooms available," Hambrecht said.
Michelle and Randy Moore of Parkersburg were staying at the Microtel on Pike Street.
"The power went out at our home Friday, and we have a little one, so we had to come here," Michelle said.
The couple were hoping electricity would be restored at their home soon.
"We've been here since Saturday," Randy said. "It's really ramping up the hotel bill, but there's air conditioning and water."
Randy said his mother and grandmother were also staying at the Microtel until power was restored at their Parkersburg home.
Next door the Hampton Inn's rooms were also filled with power outage refugees.
"Our phones have been ringing off the hook for reservations, and people have been coming in off the streets, looking for a room," said Nikki Brightwell, front desk associate.
She said the staff could not use the motel's washing machines and dryers after the power went off Friday, but after the electricity returned and linens were cleaned Saturday, the rooms started filling up.
"We had air conditioning and were able to serve breakfast and we got the pool up and running," Brightwell said. "But the Internet has gone down a couple of times, and we're still waiting to get the television cable back on."
Ice seemed to be at the top of the list at area grocery stores Monday.
Dick Patterson, who lives on Pleasant Ridge, about three miles off Ohio 26, said power would possibly be restored at his home by the weekend.
"We have city water, but we're looking for ice today and haven't been very successful," he said from his car in the Kroger plaza parking lot.
Patterson said he and his wife were also stocking up on groceries.
"Everything in our refrigerator is gone," he said. "We were here Saturday, and had a two-hour wait at the registers."
Bucky Lee, owner of the Marietta Food-4-Less, was expecting a load of ice to arrive at his store Monday afternoon.
"We were out for a couple of days, but opened again at 6 p.m. Sunday," he said. "We had a lot of perishable food spoilage, and have been replacing that stock with fresh meat, milk and other products. Our customers have been pretty understanding."
Power was restored by late Saturday at Warren's IGA on Muskingum Drive, according to general manager Mike Morrison on Monday.
"We lost some perishables, but we're re-stocking today and are open regular hours," he said.
Gasoline became a major concern following Friday's storm as vehicles crammed into the limited number of stations where fuel pumps were operating.
Morgan County Commissioner Tim Van Horn owns a gas station in McConnelsville and said sales records there were "shattered" on Saturday.
"We did what would have taken us about four or five days to sell," he said.
Business was double or triple normal on Sunday as well.
People came to the station-Timmy V's-from Parkersburg, Belpre and New Lexington, Van Horn said. They ran out of regular gas Saturday evening, just about the time a tanker arrived to deliver more.
In addition to businesses, the Washington County Fairgrounds was impacted by Friday's storm, leaving plans for this week's Fourth of July celebration in question.
Fair board vice president Steve Tornes said there has been no electricity at the fairgrounds since the storm damaged power lines near the River Trail pedestrian and bike path at the west end of the property.
He said the power was expected to be back on by late Monday or early Tuesday.
"We worried about it for the past two days, and it's been a last-ditch effort to get this Fourth of July mid-week celebration back on track," Tornes said.
Events scheduled include a demolition derby and carnival at 7 p.m. today, and a mud bog at 11 a.m. Wednesday as well as fireworks at 10 p.m.
"Right now everything is a go if they get the power back. It should be on in time, but we're not 100 percent sure," Tornes said.
Area industries were also affected by Friday's storm, according to Joy Frank-Collins, spokeswoman for Eramet Marietta on Ohio 7 south.
"We lost power throughout the plant Friday, and had just tapped both of our furnaces," she said. "That was a fortunate situation because there was no product left inside the furnaces at the time."
Eramet produces manganese that's a main ingredient in steel manufacturing.
"Our emergency procedures went into effect and teams investigated all facets of the operations to make sure there were no problems-everything was fine," Frank-Collins said.
She said production had not resumed Monday as the company is slowly working in cooperation with American Electric Power Ohio to bring the electrical load back up.
"We hope to get the equipment back up to production in a few days," Frank-Collins said.
She added that employees have continued to work their regular shifts throughout the power outage.
