Dozens gathered at Abigail’s Tap Room in Grafton to eat, drink, and cheer on the St. Louis Blues Thursday night. Owner Brad Hagen said the business is welcomed.
He opened the restaurant last week, just days after the river got too high for him to boat customers to his oyster bar.
“A lot of people were asking me, ‘Do you realize there’s flooding going on?’” Hagen said. “My wife was one of them. But they supported me, and here we are. The idea was to jump, keep the restaurant open, and keep Grafton open.”
Hagen said he’s had steady business despite flooding making the area more difficult to get to than usual.
“I thought I’d have some people come in,” Hagen said. “I wasn’t expecting all of the friends, family, and people who live here. We are so grateful for the support. It means the world to me. A lot of businesses are hurting, and I know a lot of them can’t be open like this.”
Roy Gettings and his son, Max, were at Abigail’s Thursday night sporting their Blues gear.
“We’ve been trying not to go grocery shopping just so we can support all the restaurants,” Gettings said. “We don’t want to see anyone go under and lose what they’ve got.”
Gettings said the excitement surrounding the Blues playing in the Stanley Cup Final has been a good distraction from the major flooding that’s been impacting the area for weeks.
“I was six months old the last time they were in the championship,” Gettings said.
Both Gettings and Hagen said the flood’s impact on the community is undeniable, especially for a river town that depends on revenue from tourists.
“A restaurant usually does about $80,000 for Memorial Day Weekend,” Hagen said. “We did $12,000.”
The river crested in Grafton on Thursday, so now the community waits for the slow, but sure process of the river receding.
Hagen said they are hopeful business will be back to usual for the 4th of July holiday. In the meantime, he’s grateful for his community’s support and hopeful the Blues’ championship run will be as historic as this year’s flood levels.
Other flood-related stories:
- Revenue in Grafton is down 80% due to flooding, mayor says
- ‘They need somebody’: Restaurant offers free food to Lincoln County flood victims
- Supplies being brought to Portage Des Sioux by boat
- Flooding closes roads, adds commute time for frustrated drivers
- 'Both toilets are overflowing': Flooding affects mobile home park in St. Charles