'It has been a nightmare': Flooding on Friday ruined business on Western Boulevard, owner says

A Raleigh business owner said he lost his livelihood during Friday’s flooding across the state.

The parking lot of Lamar PC was submerged and blocked off with caution tape Friday afternoon as a heavy downpour during a WRAL Weather Alert Day moved through Wake County.

“As long as water gets involved, there’s nothing you can do,” owner Adrien Lamartiniere said.

Lamartiniere said he ran Lamar PC for over a decade but is unsure if he will continue as flooding damaged the computers and electronics inside his store.

“To be honest with you, it has been a nightmare for me,” he said.

Employees inside said the flooding has worsened in the last three months due to construction on Western Boulevard.

“It seems as if the water is getting stopped, like maybe it’s capped off up the road and then the water’s just kinda being stagnant,” one employee said.

The heavy rain and flooding impacted several people during their commutes on Friday, including traffic jams on busy interstates and a man crashing into a creek in Durham.

Lamartiniere said the flooding left him trying to figure out what to do next after the flooding washed away his dream business.

“I want to know what I should do [and] what can I do to survive,” he said.

Lamartiniere said he would look for a new location, but said it could take time. As for the building itself, the landlord told WRAL News they will see if the City of Raleigh can do anything for the buildings on Western Boulevard that are prone to flooding.