CABOT, Vt. (WCAX) – Business owners who had to rebuild after last year’s flooding are holding their breath as more rain falls in our region.
It’s been a long road of recovery for one Village store in the Cabot that hasn’t been hit just once by flooding, but now twice.
“I could see the water rising, coming into the store. It was just pretty devastating to see it happen again you know, in eleven years,” said Cabot Village Store co-owner Bobby Searles.
Searles has been reflecting on the flooding last July, and feeling that sense of deja vu.
“The calls I got, get down here it’s happening again. My heart just sank because it was really hard the first time you know?” said Searles.
It took $100,000 in repairs, but the Cabot Village Store is back to serve the community. But the concern remains every time it rains.
Folks in town appreciate Searles’ efforts.
“I know they had to borrow some money to get it fixed up, but I think everybody in town is really glad that they are here. They were also a huge plus during the pandemic, making sure that people got food easily. Sometimes delivering, sometimes putting the food out into folks’ cars. So they really understand the community and work with us,” said Chris Tormey from Cabot.
Underneath the Cabot Village Store, Seth O’Brien runs a drone and computer fixing business. He says the July floods destroyed several computers and equipment in his shop.
He echoes Searles’ continued flooding concerns.
“Now I kind of know what could happen. Definitely much higher anxiety than normal. I feel like that’s kind of a general feeling over the town,” said O’Brien.
Store owners hope that in the future they will be able to avoid any flooding that comes their way. But in the meantime they will be prepared just like they always have been.