Losses won't end now that power's back

Western Queens businesses lost millions of dollars in revenue and spoiled supplies during the 10 day blackout that began on Monday, July 17, local lawmakers estimated.
Philippe Flory, who owns Ste. Honore Patisserie on Ditmars Boulevard, threw away a total of $24,211 worth of baked goods and supplies after hoping for three days that power would return to his store. From just one of his 11 refrigerators – one of the smaller models – he had to toss two gallons of whipped cream, five dozen pastries, 10 fruit tarts, 30 pounds of cannoli and custard cream, eight tiramisus, and 16 fruit containers.
Along with his wife, Rita, and two children, Stephanie, 19, and Marc, 14, Flory tossed tray after tray of apricot tarts, pecan pies, Danishes, and cookies. Only two racks of wilted meringue puffs sat in his counter windows on Thursday, July 20, as Flory swung open his refrigerator doors to reveal all empty shelves.
Like many other business owners, Flory documented all the perishables that he threw away in hope that his insurance would reimburse him for some of the loss, but he found out on Friday that the insurance would not cover the damage and that he would have to take his claim to Con Edison.
&#8220It’s like starting the business from zero,” Flory said, explaining that he could not bake bread for local restaurants last week and expected not to be able to do so at least for a portion of the following week. &#8220Then maybe they go to someone else.”
&#8220I can not sell to [customers] today,” Flory said on Monday. &#8220I have nothing. This morning we have opened the door, but no one comes in.”
Although Con Ed is allowing commercial customers to claim up to $7,000 in losses from perishable products, the businesses must submit proof of the items – receipts or pictures – and a claim form that businesses can download from Con Ed’s website. Many business owners, including Ciaran Staunton, a restaurant owner in Sunnyside Gardens, said that his losses were much higher than the $7,000 cap and wondered how businesses were supposed to get a hold of the form, when many computers were without power.
On Thursday, July 20, the utility giant upped their count of customers affected to 25,000 after first estimating the number to be close to 2,000. Of those customers, there is no estimate of how many are local businesses.
&#8220I think it’s going to have a devastating effect on the west, namely Astoria businesses, especially small businesses. They are the least able to sustain these types of problems and continue,” said Bill Egan, executive vice president of the Queens Chamber of Commerce.
Last week, Ditmars Boulevard – normally a bustling commercial center in Astoria – was quiet and dark, as most stores shut their doors during the blackout.
&#8220If only espresso machines ran on batteries. Sorry we are closed due to power outage,” a sign in the Starbucks window at the corner of Ditmars Boulevard and 21st Street read.
Baris Keskin and Aynur Sen, owners of Friends Hair Design in Astoria said that since their power shut off on Tuesday, they lost about $2,000 per day, with which they pay their seven-person staff. On Thursday, July 20, the pair sat in the dark salon and waited for customers to buy styling products because they could not turn on their blow dryers, curling irons, and straightening irons.
The Allen Street Barber Shop on Ditmars Boulevard was open on Thursday despite the blackout. With a small generator that they plugged into a generator at a nearby store, Alex, Raphael and Mark Muratov hooked up a radio and a small fan as they continued to cut hair with scissors in the dim shop.
Mario Mignone, owner of Top Tomato on Ditmars Boulevard, said that his produce loss was &#8220uncountable.” Although Mignone kept the store open on Thursday, the fruits and vegetables were not refrigerated and would soon have to be thrown out.
&#8220You expect for the worst, and if everything goes better, then you’re ahead of the game,” Mignone said on Thursday. Although the store’s power returned at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 23, Top Tomato stayed open throughout the blackout – one of few stores along with emergency food stations where local residents who were without power could get something to eat.
Employees of local businesses also felt the burn of the blackout in their pockets after many were forced to stay home five days straight.
&#8220I lost $600. Our rent is $1500. I have to pay it in a week. What am I going to do?” asked Jennifer Gambino, who works as a waitress in the Family Corner restaurant on 31st Street in Astoria. &#8220My husband is disabled. Everyone here is one paycheck away from being homeless.”
After a week of being closed, Philip Kavadias, owner of the Family Corner, said that he had lost about $10,000 worth of business and $6,000 from food spoilage.
Kavadias hoped to open the popular Greek eatery by Tuesday, July 25, &#8220God willing.”
&#8220I’m trying to get ready today,” he said on Monday. &#8220I’ve never seen anything like this … not even the big blackout a few years ago.”
By Sunday, July 23, power at many businesses returned with the help of generators from Con Ed parked on street corners, and by Monday morning, electricity for 20,000 customers was fully restored.
After six days without electricity – power returned to the Flory’s Pastry shop on Sunday night, but two of the French bakery’s compressors were not working properly, so the owner had to call a technician.
&#8220I’ve been here 20 years. Every year we’ve had this problem,” Flory said of blackouts that have lasted sometimes up to 24 hours. &#8220I wish somebody would fix the problem.”