NORWICH – “Everything is just gone.” That was the nearly emotionless response from Michael Steward, owner of Shear Dimensions hair and tanning studio, after his home and business were devastated by flooding along the Chenango River Wednesday. Steward isn’t shocked that his livelihood was ravaged by water damage. Like many others in the area, he is shocked that it happened just over a year after flooding nearly wiped him out in April 2005.
“I had the financial means to recover last year,” the hair stylist of 17 years said, stating that between insurance, credit cards and significantly large bank loans, he’d been able to scrape by. “This time around I don’t, because it has only been a year. I’ve been struggling since the last flood.”
After the extensive damage caused last year, and the repairs and remodeling that followed, Steward had only been back in his home and studio 357 days until Wednesday, and he’s not sure when, or if, he’ll be able to return this time.
Shear Dimensions is located across from Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals on state Route 320 in Woods Corners, and Steward said that until the damage can be assessed and possibly recovered, he will be temporarily relocating into the former Carnrike Construction building, which is next to The Sleep Shop on state Route 12 just south of Wal-Mart.
“Unfortunately you always lose some clients after something like this,” he said. “Last year they said they ‘didn’t want to bother me.’ I need them to bother me, I need them to call, I need that business. They can’t have that attitude.”
Steward said he’s grateful for all the help he’s received from friends and family, and also from Reese Marshall Oil Company. He remains unsure about the long-term future, his insurance policy does not cover water damage for his business, which is under the same policy as his home because they are in the same structure.
Up the road at Oliver’s Campers on Route 12 in the Town of North Norwich, owner Jim Oliver is no a stranger to the hardship the Chenango River has dealt out the last two years.
“What can you do?” said Oliver, despite the fact his entire business was nearly submerged by water. “Some people have it a lot worse than us. We’ve been around forty years, and fortunately we have the resources to move on.” For now, Oliver’s will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in business at Burrell’s Excavating, which has generously offered them temporary housing at their site on county Route 32 in the stretch between Hawley’s and Woods Corners.
Oliver said he is really just thankful for all the outside help he received, which included Burrell’s, Bert Adams Disposal, Joseph McBride, and a neighbor across the road, who all allowed and helped Oliver place campers on their private property, saving them from being destroyed.
“People just come together,” he said.
Steward said that if anyone can contribute to help him save his home and business, his address is 140 state Route 320, Norwich, NY 13815.