With over 200 thousand homes without power, hundreds of lights down across the city, and trees strewn across roads throughout the metro, the July 31 storm had a drastic impact on many in Millard. While many students were in their basements bracing for the impact of this downpour, down the street from Millard South, others were witnessing the effects in real-time at a Patriot fan-favorite: Chipotle.
The Stonybrook restaurants and Hy-Vee are popular destinations for off-campus lunch and after-school snack runs, and earlier this year many students were excited to learn a Starbucks would be added to the area. However, the violent weather has added a setback to this new addition.
“The Starbucks went down in shambles,” senior Ethan Nottingham said.
Nottingham and senior Brady Wilde watched as 80 mph wind gusts took down the unfinished Starbucks construction project across the street from their place of work at Chipotle.
“The construction workers finished the walls and were starting the roof when I got there,” Wilde said. As the storm raged on, workers did their best to hold down the fort, both metaphorically and physically.
“My manager about flew away with the door at one point,” added Wilde.
Once the storm had subsided, it was made clear that Chipotle was one of the only restaurants in the Millard area that retained power during the storm. Seniors Jack Pueppke, Bre Gomez, and Allison Jeltema headed toward the restaurant after cleaning up their neighborhoods. “It was crazy,” Pueppke said. “The lights were out just down the street, but Chipotle and Hy-Vee still had power. We needed to eat, but none of us had power to make anything.”
Hundreds of people had the same idea, as the lines ran to the door for hours after the storm had ended.
“We were getting slammed,” Nottingham said, “and we were super understaffed.”
Workers were stretched thin as they tried to handle the rush.
“It was so stressful since we were all running everywhere doing everyone’s position trying to help out where we could,” Wilde said.
The intensity of the rush meant that most workers didn’t have the chance for a break or to check in with others. “It was scary honestly. I just wanted to know if my family was okay,” Nottingham said.
While the influx of people was extremely taxing for employees, it was a big success for business.
“We made about five and a half thousand dollars after the storm which is about a thousand less than we make in the entire day,” Nottingham explained.
From watching the collapse of Starbucks to serving the flood of hungry people without electricity, Chipotle workers experienced the full force of Nebraska’s summer storm.
Thankfully, recovery efforts in the weeks since have allowed things to get back on track in the Stonybrook area.
“Progress has been good,” said senior Ryder Nichols. “I think it only took them around a week to get back to where they were. Luckily, they weren’t super far in when it got blown over, so it seems like they’re back on track.”
