NORFOLK, Va. — A Norfolk business owner is frustrated after she says she was forced to delay her store’s grand opening because of a leaking roof and electrical problems.
Fredericka Watson said her shop, Suga Heel Boutique, has a big problem: Every time it rains, the roof leaks.
Watson rents a space inside a downtown Norfolk building on Plume Street. She said she wants building management to fix the problem.
“All the [ceiling] tiles right here were on the floor – wet, brown looking. Water was everywhere," Watson said. “In this room right here it was coming down like Niagara Falls.”
Watson said she planned a grand opening this weekend but because of the leaking roof, she had to abruptly change plans again.
“We were supposed to open this year, March 17th, 2023, and the reason we didn’t was because we had floods in here - a leak," she said. "So we tried to open yesterday for the next grand opening but we couldn’t have it here.”
She said it’s a costly problem because the water is damaging her inventory and the inside of her store.
"I’m losing inventory," Watson said. "I just lost like probably over $4,000 worth of items in here.”
She said she also briefly lost electricity after a water leak damaged a ceiling tile with a light fixture.
“I heard a ‘Boom!’ So I ran out here and was like, ‘What in the world?’ And it was the light ceiling hanging with smoke coming out," she said.
Watson said she called the fire department and electricity is back but the leaking roof is still an issue.
She said she just wants the problem fixed so she can open her store.
“It’s very frustrating," Watson said. "[I] canceled the first grand opening back in March and then had to cancel this one and here we are in July? So I haven’t been open for business. Yes, I’m losing money.”
We reached out to the owners of Watson's building about the problem but have not heard back just yet.