“It’s Friday afternoon [le 25 juillet] That we saw the claim in the restaurant, ”says Ariane Robitaille, who launched the Tequila Lounge in the Saint-Roch district with her spouse Carolina Barona Escobar in 2015.
Above their heads, the plumbing has broken, letting the soiled waters escape in the building’s framework to their room.
Soil soil, unusable equipment and foul smell summarizing the inventory in the aftermath of the incident. This is without counting the small flies that have started to multiply over the hours.
“We were preparing at the weekend of our 10 years,” she said, informing that a menu had been freshly drawn up and that several reservations were on the calendar.
Since that day, the Tequila Lounge has not regained service.
A note left in the door of the premises informs customers that a breakout out of its control prevents the restaurant from opening. “Currently, we just try to have an agenda of the work and open as quickly as possible,” says the one who worries about seeing the days parade.
Until now, nearly $ 45,000 in sales will have gone between their fingers, while the restaurators have had a cross on two weekends in the summer. Their team of 12 employees is also paused while all of the work and the big household are being done.
“It’s still scary for the team. It’s not just us that it touches […] Since we don’t have a date of reopening still, we cannot even say that it will be a pay or a pay and a half. And God knows that we all have accounts to pay, ”she slips.
Expected work
Insurers and loss experts were called in turn called once the damage has been observed. The Mach group, owner of the 643 building, rue Saint-Joseph Est, says it was made to the first signs on July 18.
In an email transmitted to SoleilSylvie Rousseau, director of communications of the Mach group, indicates that a blocked drain which affected the dismissal of air conditioning, a leak from a toilet located above the restaurant and a defective vent hose for the fryer are at the origin of the breakage.
“The repairs were carried out as quickly as possible after the problem reporting, given the weekend and the construction vacation period where it is much more difficult to find a plumber for emergency work. On July 28, a plumber intervened to resolve the situation, ”she informs, stressing that she has executed the work under his responsibility in the restaurant room.
According to the Mach group, there is no longer any obstacle to the resumption of the activities of its tenant.
“The remaining work, in particular the repair of the toilet and the work on the ceiling [qui se dérouleront dans un espace situé derrière la cuisine]should be completed next week. These interventions should not affect the operations of the restaurant, as they are planned during the closing days of the establishment, ”specifies Ms. Rousseau.
The restaurateur said that the work must be completed so that the Tequila Lounge can resume service. “The work must go through our premises. And water goes through our premises if the problem is not solved, ”she adds.
“As long as it is not over and that we have no doubt, we cannot operate.”
— Ariane Robitaille, co -owner of Tequila Lounge
“We are not an office where you can wash with regular products and remove the smell with small candles. We are a restaurant, there is MAPAQ [ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec] who watches us. We have to stay greedy, ”she lets fall.
A painful postponement
If the insurances cover, in whole or in part, the material damage, the anticipated income and the salaries of the employees, the duo must assume fixed costs before receiving the check.
“The more time passes, the more the bank account drops. Payments must be done the same, “she breathes, adding that some of her suppliers have agreed to postpone the deadline for invoices.
With the resumption of construction sites on Monday, Ms. Robitaille nevertheless anticipates that she will lose a third week of sales.
“Probably the plumber will be able to spend next week. But thereafter, will the Post-INTER experts have time to spend or do we lose another week of work? ” She wonders, about the general entrepreneur, cleaners and exterminators who will have to be linked to her restaurant.
But there is more painful for the duo than the damage visible in their premises. “This momentum-The we were for our 10 years, we are losing it. It has a huge price, ”she saddens.
