Wet wet wet

Water came pouring into my newsagency during a storm in Melbourne today. The roof of the shopping centre was open above our shop due to construction works. I guess they did not check the weather report.

From the back room into the body of the shop water cascaded down the walls and poured between ceiling tiles. Here’s a view down one stationery aisle – the boxed are at the rear is part of the construction they are doing:

While we scrambled to remove stock, I estimate that we will write off thousands of dollars worth – ink cartridges, copy paper, A2 colour paper – out entire stock is wiped out, Cristina re papers, art supplies and some circulation product. Add to this the thousands of dollars damage to computers, cameras, paint, flooring and other fixtures.

Here’s the view across a magazine aisle toward stationery:

This construction project has now cost water damage; loss of sales due to severe noise (including the day before Mother’s day), sever dust/grime damage (earlier this week when they removed one of our internal columns), loss of phone and internet access for half a day; loss of power for several hours and, constant interruption by builders and others working on the project.

Our shop is the worst affected in the centre as it is in a key corner where two major supporting columns in the 35 year old centre are to be replaced. It’s all part of the refurbishment in advance of Target arriving later this year.

At the height of the water crisis today we have fifteen people from the builder and landlord working on the problem – moving sock, covering other stock with plastic and vacuuming up puddles of water in the shop and the back room.

At the counter, the focus was on keeping those customers who did venture into what looked like a bomb site happy. Tonight is a $30 million Powerball jackpot but it didn’t feel like it at newsXpress Forest Hill.

6:15PM UPDATE: we have massive dryers howling up a racket in the store to try and dry the floor. This and that the plastic is still covering much of our stock is keeping people away. It will be a quiet night of late night shopping tonight.