Rebuilding after the Tornado: Katy Shopping Center Owners Look Forward to Reopening

On Thursday, repairs were underway at a shopping center in the Katy area that was hit by a tornado the previous day. Business owners are hopeful to reopen soon, despite a few stores remaining without power. Many are waiting for confirmation from the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office that their buildings are safe for reentry.

Hein Pham, who owns a laundromat in Suite 510, shared that the center’s landlord quickly sent a recovery company to begin repairs as soon as the Houston Fire Department deemed it safe. Pham is eagerly awaiting approval from the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office before reopening, even though the power and gas have been restored.

The Firestone auto care center in the strip mall saw significant damage from the tornado, with cleanup crews clearing debris from the repair shop’s outer wall. Bourbon Street Sports Bar, another prominent business in the shopping center, has replaced shattered windows with temporary plywood sheets. The bar owner, Doug Stockel, expressed a wish to reopen as soon as the power and the Harris County Fire Marshal permit.

Stockel mentioned that all stores in the shopping center are facing financial losses due to the tornado, but it is too early to determine the full extent of the impact. The shopping center itself is around 40 years old and is embodying the effects of the natural disaster.