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Some Tempe businesses forced to close due to microburst damage
More than 70 small businesses are being forced to close their doors for good following the microburst that slammed Tempe on Monday. FOX 10's Kenzie Beach reports.
TEMPE, Ariz. - The microburst that slammed Tempe on Monday left more than 70 small businesses inoperable. As cleanup begins, they are left to figure out what’s next.
Why you should care:
Behind the fences, some small business owners said they lost everything.
It’s not about rebuilding or getting the power back. Rather, these small business owners are being told the damage is so extensive that several of these buildings may be demolished.
Some business owners are forced to close their doors for good.
From welders and mechanics to builders and artists, in a matter of moments, Monday's microburst tore through this industrial business park, changing everything for these small business owners.
"It's home for a ton of people who have been here forever," said Kevin Lake, owner of Outback Vans & Dry Heat Garage, which was destroyed in the microburst.
Paul Payne, who is retiring after his business was destroyed, recalled the moment he heard the news.
"You need to go to the shop because the roof is gone, and I thought, yeah, right," Payne said.
Dig deeper:
Roughly 70 Tempe businesses are now unable to operate. The roof was torn off, taking the A/C units and metal piping right along with it.
The National Weather Service recorded wind gusts upwards of 70 mph.
"It's like a war zone," said Jeff Spiccoli, owner of RMR Works. "I couldn't really see anything other than roofs, you know, blowing around and water was shooting all over the place. And everybody's running around."
With walls ripped from their foundation, business owners have no choice but to relocate to make ends meet.
What they're saying:
For the last 16 years, Payne worked in his shop building and repairing boat motors.
"Pretty sad. Everything I had was pretty much destroyed, you know?" he said.
Contemplating retirement, this storm made the decision for him.
"I'm done. I'm finished," Payne said, confirming he is closing his doors for good.
While others are trying to figure out what’s next as they wait for their insurance to kick in.
"I just don’t know what to do. I'm 65. I don't know how to recover. From 2:00 till 4:00 this morning I’m awake just going, how do we move?" said an owner.
As Spiccoli removed what he could salvage, he’s taking this as a fresh start.
"A closed door and a new one opens kind of thing," he said.
What's next:
The entire business park is in it together.
"Everybody is helping everybody, like this golf cart I borrowed from my neighbor over here," Payne said.
Spiccoli agreed. "Fred just pushed that door open with his forklift so I could get in there."
A handful of owners are in the process of signing new leases, saying they have employees to pay. Some insurance adjusters were on site, while others had appointments scheduled for the following week.
What you can do:
For all Arizona residents impacted by the storm, U-Haul is offering free storage for 30 days.
The Source: This information was gathered by FOX 10's Kenzie Beach, who spoke with small business owner's in Tempe who were affected by the microburst.