J. Hartman’s restaurant on U.S.
Highway 70 in Marion closed up shop Thursday, Sept. 26, after emergency management officials came by the restaurant urging people to evacuate. With Hurricane Helene headed toward western North Carolina, heavy wind, rain and flooding were in store.
Owners Jennifer and Jon Hartman were at home on the lake trying to tie off their dock to keep it from floating away if flood waters rose too high. “We had no idea,” Jennifer said. “Just like anybody else, we didn’t know the water was going to come up that high, and I felt like we were pretty safe.
” The couple didn’t see the restaurant again until photos started popping up on social media of flood damage. “Someone sent me a picture of the aerial view of the restaurant. .
.. I was just like, ‘Oh my gosh,’” Jennifer said.
“I came in here the next morning. At that point, one of my daughters and my in-laws were here, and they were standing on the porch and I could just see the mud. .
.. My mother-in-law said, she said, ‘Prepare yourself .
.. because it’s bad.
’ I walked in and it was just a disaster ...
I was absolutely devastated.” She said mud was covering the floor, booth seats and chairs were strewn around the restaurant. “This restaurant’s ran by myself, my husband, my two daughters, and we’ve got 60 staff members here,” Jennifer said.
“It’s our livelihood, but it’s the 60 staff members' livelihoods. That’s been one of my biggest concerns, is how quickly can.
