People flocked to local hardware stores Thursday morning in search of materials to repair damage sustained during Tropical Storm Grace. The Cayman Compass spoke with shopkeepers and customers to see what items were in demand and how their property fared in the storm.
Dainsly Henry
So, this purchase (windows and lumber) was based on the hurricane, simply because the water was running through the windows… so the homeowner wanted us to fix the shingles, replace some boards and put in new windows, and all this cost $1,014.
Dan Murphy,
A. L. Thompson’s retail manager
There’s a lot of people who underestimated Grace. Prior to opening, we had people lined up outside the doors; it was almost like Black Friday in terms of the crowd. It’s now just before 10:30 in the morning and we are completely sold out of chainsaws and we had more than sufficient inventory. It wasn’t a matter of us being low; it was just that the demand was that high.
John Christian
Of all the tools that I have at home, a chainsaw is one of the tools I never thought that I would have needed. I am out here today to get one… I had some trees that fell in my yard… and in the neighbourhood itself there’s been a lot of trees down. So, with this, I could potentially help in the neighbourhood with getting rid of debris. I bought these water boots because in my backyard I had water over my knees. So, in order for me to go to work now I would need the water boots in the water. I had no structural damage, so I’m very thankful because it could’ve been worse.
Mario Simpson, local mechanic
Early this morning I got a call from a customer, stating that a tree fell on her car. A couple other customers called about their cars being flooded. Sometimes this can cause permanent damage based on the magnitude of the water, but for the windshield, something like that would cost $500 to $800 and for a leak, an estimate could be $1,000.
William McTaggart,
Uncle Bill’s managing partner
I am certain that [the] first band that came through my yard at 5 o’clock yesterday was faster than 70 mph wind. You’ll never replace those trees [that we lost]; it’ll take 20 years. My yard was just starting to look nice, and all my fruit trees have now been torn up. All of my naseberry trees have been blown down, [and] avocado trees… I’ve lost probably 500 fruits easily… my fence was also destroyed because of trees falling down on them, so it’ll be a couple hundred dollars to get it back in at least some shape.
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