Brent’s Smokin Butts & Grill, 640 N. University Blvd., had already missed about a day and a half of business when owner Brent Dalton suffered first- and second-degree burns Jan. 28.
Dalton was cleaning the fryer when a quick disconnect came loose and “exploded,” he said.
As a result, the barbecue restaurant was temporarily unable to sell food prepared on its grill, fryer and griddle. All equipment is now back in operation following inspections by the building, fire and health departments.
Before the incident, the restaurant closed early on Jan. 24 and remained closed all day Jan. 26. The business is typically closed on Sundays, which included Jan. 25.
Dalton estimates the closures cost the business between $4,000 and $7,000 in potential sales.
January and February are consistently the slowest months for the barbecue restaurant, Dalton said, until warmer weather arrives.
“Food truck season and catering are our go‑to,” he said.
With additional snow in the forecast this week, Dalton said concerns about further closures remain.
“The fear is always there,” he said, encouraging customers to consider dining at small businesses instead of chain restaurants when possible.
“People really need to support small, local businesses if they can,” Dalton said.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Irina Avdeeva owns Irie Smoothie Cafe at 3429 Pendleton Circle with her husband, Peter Ainsworth. The cafe closed Jan. 25-26 due to the weather.
Avdeeva said this time of year is actually the busiest for the smoothie shop due to health-focused New Year’s resolutions and its proximity to Planet Fitness.
She did not have a monetary estimate for how much money the business missed out on during closures, but the timing, with payroll and rent coming up in the new month, was not ideal.
“When it falls on the same week, the pay period and the rent, it’s tough on us anyways,” she said. “Then, especially being closed for two days, it definitely affected us.”
The cafe is located near the former Towne Mall on the east end of Middletown, and Avdeeva doesn’t think her business was affected by the storm as much as downtown businesses.
“This parking lot was somewhat clean (Jan. 26),” she said.
Triple Moon Coffee Company at 1100 Central Ave. closed early Jan. 24 and fully closed Jan. 26 and 27. It typically does not open on Sundays, which was Jan. 25.
Owner Heather Gibson estimated the closures cost the business between $3,500 and $4,000 in potential sales, “which is rent.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Like Avdeeva, Gibson said the timing of the storm, so close to the first of the month, was inconvenient.
“Maybe if it happened the second or third week of the month, it’d be different,” she said. “I might be able to adjust, but coming at the end of the month, it’s very hard.”
January and February are typically the slowest months at Triple Moon, according to Gibson.
“At a time like this, when we’ve already a slow month and then going into a new slow month where you can’t really make it up, it couldn’t be worse timing,” she said.
But, she said, Middletown small businesses “stick together.”
The coffee shop’s first day back, Gibson went to Central Pastry Shop at 1518 Central Ave. and bought two dozen donuts to pass out to Triple Moon customers.
“I can’t stress enough how this community comes together,” she said.
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