Store owner inside Bedford, N.S. mall doesn’t expect to reopen for weeks due to flood damage

HALIFAX -

While customers have been welcomed back inside the Bedford Place Mall in Bedford, N.S., the owner of a dress shop inside the mall doesn’t expect to reopen her business for several weeks.

“It’s just a huge rebuild at the moment,” said Denise MacIsaac, owner of the Beautiful Store. “At the moment we are in remediation so all the gyprock has been cut out of the store, we had to wait our turn. There were so many businesses and only so many people working.”

When the Sackville River breached its banks nearly three weeks ago amid torrential downpour that caused flash flooding, water spilled into the mall’s parking lot and inside the building.

MacIsaac said business owners were held out for a few days due to safety concerns. When they were allowed back in, they returned to a thick layer of silt and puddles everywhere.

Water and silt left a mess. The business owner estimates she lost at least $400,000 in inventory.

“And I’m a quarter insured for that so it’s a big blow,” she added.

Some stores such as Giant Tiger have reopened but most near where MacIsaac’s business is located have not.

MacIsaac expects she won’t be able to reopen for weeks.

“My guestimate is Oct. 1as a lot of people in the interior are projecting that because just to get inventory, again, is difficult at this time of the year,” MacIsaac said.

She added while she has insurance to cover the interior rebuild, not everyone does.

“We’re all trying to figure out how we can get through.”

If shoppers want to support the business owners, MacIsaac has a suggestion.

“I would say just hang off on buying those products that we supply in the mall and come in and support us when we are open. I think we all need a little influx of love there right now,” she said.

CTV News contacted the Bedford Place Mall. The person who answered the phone said some of the tenants already opened as of last Friday and as remediation occurs, they’re continuing to open.

MacIsaac said if customers wish to get in touch, she can still be reached through her social media accounts.