Storm benefits some, hurts other businesses

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For businesses such as IHOP, opportunity struck at the same time as lightning.

IHOP, the International House of Pancakes, 5245 E. Pickard St., maintained power throughout Monday night and Tuesday morning – even as thousands of students, including those on Central Michigan University’s campus, lost power.

“I looked at this as a very good opportunity for us,” said IHOP manager Tim Spencer. “It has been a very successful day, for sure.”

Spencer estimated an 80 percent increase in customer traffic, creating one of the busiest Tuesday mornings he could remember.

Spencer, who was moving between the kitchen and dining room to help wherever he could, said IHOP’s staff handled the influx well. He called in only one additional cook and server, and that was after two other employees called off their shifts.

This was the perfect chance to display IHOP’s new management, instated in fall, whose quality food and service may be overlooked in favor of other local restaurants, Spencer said.

“Every guest in here has been ecstatic,” he said.

The pancake house was one of several businesses that got a boost from the nearly 21-hour blackout.

Even though it had to shut down Monday night, Lil’ Chef, 1720 S. Mission St., made up its losses through increased day traffic Tuesday, said Kathy Gore, shift manager.

Gore said it was the second time in her 14 years at Lil’ Chef that she has seen the restaurant close. Lil’ Chef usually is open 24 hours a day.

After closing its doors shortly after 9 p.m., when the restaurant lost power and learned it would be out for several hours, clients were able to finish their meals and pay before staff closing, she said. Emergency lights lit the way.

Lil’ Chef reopened at about 7 a.m. Tuesday, shortly after regaining power, to a day of hungry students with canceled classes. But the increase was manageable, Gore said.

“We just did it with our regular staff,” she said, adding that she assisted various gas stations throughout the day. “Managers do what they have to.”

However, not every business gained more than it lost.

O’Kelly’s Sports Bar and Grill, 2000 S. Mission St., lost power around 9 p.m. Monday, right in the middle of the Bowl Championship Series championship game, assistant manager Nicole Bulas said.

An increase in day traffic could not offset losing power – and with it, a full house of customers – during one of the bar’s biggest nights of the year, she said.

It was not easy to evacuate, either, she said, noting that O’Kelly’s has no windows.

“They had to get flashlights out and try to get everyone out as fast as possible,” Bulas said.

Because many people pay their tabs with credit cards, the machines for which were powerless, Bulas said many clients had to leave their cards and pick them up on Tuesday morning.

Server April St. Amant said the pitch-black room made it easier for people to ditch their tabs, worsening the impact.

news@cm-life.com