Community Corner

Powerless, Windsor Residents Search for any Open Businesses

Windsor 75 Diner served customers Sunday using their gas stove.

With 100 percent of Windsor without power, residents have been on the road searching for anything in the form of comfort.

Businesses up and down Windsor Avenue and and Broad Street were dark and empty, with the exception of , which, despite its lack of lights and heat, filled the air with the smell of coffee and warm food.

The Poquonock Avenue restaurant's parking lot was full, cars flowing in with drivers and passengers asking with astonishment, "Is this place open?"

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Yes, the diner was serving food Sunday, making use of its natural-gas fueled equipment, according to George Calos, son of owners George and Therese.

Making sandwiches on their flat burner and boiling coffee for warmth-deprived customers, people began to flood in.

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"We let one person in, and then, you know, then you can't say 'No' [to more customers]," said Calos. "We went all around town, and no one is open."

While they were the only restaurant in town bringing customers and making money, Windsor 75 will likely be in a rough spot, along with every other eatery, as the number of days without power goes up.

While latest reports from Connecticut Light & Power say that 500 crews should be getting to work by the end of Monday, the company's outage map still reports 100 percent loss of power in Windsor as of 12:45 p.m. And the governor's prognosis, possibly a week or more without power for many residents, would be a big blow for businesses throughout town.

"We couldn't handle more than a day without power," said Calos. "I don't know. I don't know what we would do. [Commercial] generators aren't strong enough to support this place."

Gas stations were unable to provide gas for residents scrambling for fuel after an unexpected storm that caused unprecedented damage.

Gas stations have been open, taking cash only for items within their convenience stores. Their parking lots were full Sunday and Monday with residents passing through searching for a gas station to fill up their tanks and stock up on water, non-perishable snacks and batteries.


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