Eateries Suffer Irreparable Losses from Power Outages

Businesses are back to operating regularly now that power has been restored in Smithtown after Hurricane Sandy, but the two weeks without it caused irreparable damage to some, specifically in the food industry. 

"We emptied out our whole store, there was nothing left," said Frank Mannino, owner of Mannino’s on Main Street. 

Mannino’s wasn’t without food for long, as Mannino said they received an emergency shipment of food Sunday night, and the staff stayed from 4 a.m. Sunday to Monday at 9 a.m. preparing to open. 

Business is back to usual at Mannino’s, but the owner said locals were out en masse upon reopening. Despite the initial rush, being closed for as long as they were hurt profits. 

"We won't make it up, it's a loss,” Mannino said. “We'll be working for free for a couple of weeks."

In a similar situation to that of Mannino’s is its Branch Shopping Center neighbor Yogurtini. 

“[We] had to throw everything out,” said Ellen Bedziner, owner of Yogurtini.

While being without power derailed sales and forced the eatery to throw out product, it didn’t disrupt Yogurtini’s ability to have enough food to serve its customers for long.

"We get shipments three times a week. Our power was gone from Sunday to Sunday so when our power went back on Monday morning we received our delivery and were back open Monday morning,” Bedziner said. 

Baja Grill also was forced to throw out its food due to spoilage, from vegetables to chicken, steak, cheese and more. While they threw out their food the eatery was able to open right back up with food being brought over from its Northport location.

Baja’s manager Jerry Ralph said business was busier than normal as soon as the doors opened. 

"We were busy. Not flooded, but busy," he said. "People that don't have electricity had no choice, they had to go somewhere to eat."

Not all was negative with the monetary and product losses many these businesses suffered as the business owners said being able to serve customers strengthened many bonds with the locals not able to make warm meals or enjoy dessert at home. 

“It was like a big party and everyone was happy to eating something that made them feel good,” Bedziner said. “It got people's minds off of what was going on around them.”