RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond and Henrico businesses that were forced to close during January’s water crisis are still feeling the financial impact. While some relief is available for Richmond businesses, those in Henrico are ineligible to apply for assistance put out by the city of Richmond.
Charles' Kitchen, a small restaurant in Henrico, has been struggling to recover after the crisis. The owner, Claudius Charles, cited the significant challenges faced since the incident. “The water crisis came and made it unpalatable,” he said.
After being closed for several days due to a lack of water and a subsequent boil water advisory caused by failures at Richmond’s water plant, the restaurant's sales “dropped to zero.” Despite reopening, business did not bounce back immediately.
“People didn’t trust the water. They didn’t trust the water period,” Charles explained. “But people started trickling in like a leaky faucet,” he added.
However, the lost revenue has left the restaurant behind on rent. “Not having those funds pushed us back a lot,” he stated.
Fortunately, the landlord granted an extension on rent payments to help the restaurant stay afloat. However, the owner discovered that he would not be eligible for the city’s small business water recovery grants because the restaurant operates in Henrico County.
“It’s tough because we are going through the same problem Richmond is going through,” he expressed. “And it’s the same problem that caused us, so we feel like we should be able to apply."
So far, the Metropolitan Business League, which is distributing the city’s grants, has received nearly 200 applications within the first two days of opening the process. In contrast, Henrico County currently does not have a small business recovery grant in place.
We are awaiting a response regarding the concerns raised by Charles' Kitchen's owner.
A spokesperson for the city stated, “This is an initiative established by the city with financial support from the Economic Development Authority and private sector partners, with intent for businesses operating within the city of Richmond.”
Richmond businesses can apply for small business recovery grants through the Metropolitan Business League until March 28. For more information, click here.
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