Businesses struggle with financial hits from COVID, winter storm

Texas small businesses are feeling like they can't catch a break following the financial hits of COVID-19 and the recent winter storms.

GRANGER, Texas - From taking financial hits due to COVID-19 to now damage from last week's winter storms, small businesses like the Cotton Country Club in Granger can’t seem to catch a break.

"The entire back wall has to be replaced, the $10,000 dollar dishwasher is completely fried from the amount of water that came down," said owner Jamie Church.

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The damage is estimated at $100,000. "Wednesday we are doing clean-up, we’ve been trying to get ahold of contractors but it’s tough because there is significant damage all over Texas. So we are kind of on a waiting list," said Church.

Winter storm continues to cripple small Texas towns 

Those in small Central Texas towns like Granger are struggling due to a lack of power, water, and even damage to their homes and businesses.

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"It’s been a rough year; 2020 was challenging," Church said. "2021 is not off to a great start. It’s challenging for us for small businesses it’s always an up and down roller coaster and when your throne challenge is out of your control like COVID you’re forced to do a postmortem on everything that you do to try and find ways to stay alive and stay afloat."

As the damage for the freeze was mostly in the kitchen, Cotton Country Club was able to partially open its doors to customers. "Luckily there was no significant damage to the dance hall area which would prevent us from being able to open so we’ve been able to open," said Church.

With how long it’s taking to get contractors out to make repairs, Church estimates it’ll be 2 months before things are back to normal at the Cotton Club.