CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) — After being closed for four months due to Tropical Storm Chantal, the only cobbler in Chapel Hill is back in business and she’s busy fulfilling Christmas requests. Cinderella Riggsbee has run the Shoe Repair for more than 30 years.
She re-opened in the same plaza, but a few doors down from her old location. Chantal brought major flooding and setbacks.
“Business is going good. My phone is ringing all the time and as you can see, you’re standing there. You’ve seen all those people coming in the door and that’s how it’s been since I’ve been back,” said Riggsbee. “I lost all my supplies and some of the machines that had mold in them. I had to go out and buy machines. I don’t have all the machines I need, but we work with what we’ve got.”
As the flag outside her business blows in the wind, she hopes it draws customers in.
“When people see that flag they know I’m here and back open again,” she said.
Johnny Mariakakis reopened the day after Labor Day. He owns Mariakakis Plaza where the Shoe Repair sits and his grocery store Mariakakis Fine Food and Wine.
He told Eyewitness News there’s been minor flooding in the past, but nothing to this extent.
“Honestly, logic says we’re going to flood again. That’s reality,” he said. “We had insurance, but not enough to cover the entire loss. I was underinsured and it took so long to get the insurance money.”
Several businesses in Eastgate Plaza are still closed with some slowly reopening. The Chapel Hill Post Office reopened November 7 after being closed for months. Business owners said it’s not a question of it will flood, but when.
“What is the city and stormwater commission doing for the future,” Mariakakis questioned.
Chapel Hill officials said a stormwater basin was built behind Eastgate Plaza in 2021 with the intent of helping mitigate flooding.
Chapel Hill released the following statement:
Chapel Hill has several flood prone areas which exist due to topography and construction in decades before floodplain and stormwater regulation. Facing a future of increased flooding due to climate change, we plan to continue implementing our Stormwater Master Plan, which includes flood storage projects. We will continue to support businesses who are impacted by climate change.
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