Businesses report mixed fortunes with national blackout

For some it was business as usual, while for others today’s power troubles created all kinds of issues including dried taps.

On Upper Swan Street, a representative from Sewing World said they were not adversely affected. They opened at 8:30 and by that time their electricity was back up and running.

Manager of Woolworth Martin Bryan said when his staff reported for work at 7:30 this morning, “We found the electricity and the air-conditioning off, but our generator kicked in so by the time we were ready to open at 8:30, everything was up and running, so we did not lose out on any business because of this situation. However, I know a couple of neighbouring stores opened later than we did.”

One of those stores was the island’s leading department store, Cave Shepherd. Store Coordinator Mark Clarke said, “When we discovered there was no electricity from the time we came in this morning, our generators came on, but it took a while before everything, such as the elevators and escalators, got fully powered up, so we kept our doors closed until everything was in good working order and opened for business at 10:45.

“Thankfully, we had some customers who waited outside until we opened, and our Worthing branch also had its share of challenges this morning.”

Meanwhile, the owner of Madame of London Boutique, located just opposite the rear entrance of Cave Shepherd, said he opened his doors at 8:30 and some of those who had grown impatient waiting for other stores to open came in and did business with his company.

At the Bank of Nova Scotia’s Broad Street branch, customers waited in line for over an hour in some instances for service. While the branch opened at the usual time, the computer systems malfunctioned at all the branches. By midday service had begun to return to normal.

Nakita Abed, the Manager of Abed’s on Swan Street, said that the lack of a power created a variety of issues. “Our generators came on and we are operating as normal for the most part, but since the schools closed at midday today, our staff members with children had to leave early to collect them, as well as to see after their homes.”

“We have had delays with our suppliers whose power was down and their servers out of commission,” she added. “In fact, a supplier with whom we were supposed to meet this afternoon called and cancelled because their water is off.” Abed also said the store’s Sheraton Mall branch opened late because of the power outage.

Outside of the city, the Sol gas station at Bank Hall was unable to supply fuel because of the power outage, while at Mia Mart on Green Hill, the store was in darkness and cashiers resorted to writing up transactions in a book since the cash registers were not in service.