Spring Lake business reopens after Hurricane Florence

SPRING LAKE, N.C. (WTVD) —

Businesses in Cumberland County are continuing to rebuild and recover after Hurricane Florence.

Guns Plus is preparing to open after the Spring Lake business took in more than six feet of water during Hurricane Florence.

It took the owner Chris Hatley three days to even get inside to see what was left.

“Everything had just fallen apart. All of our paperwork had just melted basically so we didn’t know what to do other than to start cleaning product out,” said Hatley.

Guns Plus hired contractors out of pocket to come in and gut the entire building. They ordered brand new fixtures and had to replace 90 percent of their inventory.

“We lost a few million dollars. Everything I’ve done for the last 20 years, everything I put in inventory, had to stockpile waiting because you never know what the government is going to do or what laws will be changed,” said Hatley.

Meanwhile, the government shut down could cause a slower recovery time for hundreds of North Carolinians who are still reeling after Hurricane Florence.

Many communities in North Carolina depend on the Community Development Block Grant which falls under HUD.

Funding for that government agency is frozen during the government shut down.

As for Guns Plus, the business is expected to open February 1.