Garden City Grocery works towards reopening after Hurricane Ian destruction

GARDEN CITY, S.C. (WMBF) - The popular mom-and-pop shop, Garden City Grocery, is making progress towards reopening its doors after Hurricane Ian filled it with nearly three feet of water.

Employees said flooding from the storm moved entire refrigerators across the room, knocked over shelves and even tore a hole through the wall.

Paul Hoagland, the owner of Garden City Grocery, said the store had to clear out everything it could save and start from square one.

Hoagland said they have to replace all of the flooring and it will take four to 10 weeks for new cabinets and racks to come in.

However, he said they are trying to remain productive during the waiting period.

“So, in the meantime, we’re taking all the shelves apart. Painting and priming it so that it’s ready to go when we get the floors done,” said Hoagland.

Hoagland said, once tallied up, the damage from the storm will cost the store around $80,000 -$100,000.

Although, Hoagland said they planned to renovate the store this winter anyway, so customers can expect to walk into a new and improved Garden City Grocery when it reopens.

“It’s all gonna be totally different. We’re adding more shelving down the middle to that it’s bigger and better. We’re getting rid of the deli and putting everything over here. It’s gonna be a lot different,” said Hoagland.

Hoagland and his son come in and work to fix up the store every day, and they hope to have the doors to Garden City Grocery back open by mid-December.

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