Rick Straw, co-owner of the Matrix Coffeehouse, points to where water damage has occurred since a water main broke last December near the building in downtown Chehalis on Wednesday afternoon.
Rick Straw, co-owner of the Matrix Coffeehouse, points to where water damage has occurred since a water main broke last December near the building in downtown Chehalis on Wednesday afternoon.
Rick Straw, co-owner of the Matrix Coffeehouse, stands outside of his building on Wednesday afternoon in Chehalis. A water main break near the building on Dec. 12, 2014 has forced Straw to close his business for the past month.
Sings posted on the front entrance to the Matric Coffeehouse informing patrons that the restaurant and music venue is closed since a water main break last December.
Rick Straw, co-owner of the Matrix Coffeehouse, walks past the front window of his building on Wednesday afternoon in Chehalis. A water main break near the building on Dec. 12, 2014 has forced Straw to close his business for the past month.
The stage has been silent at the Matrix Coffeehouse for more than a month. In fact, owner Rick Straw hasn’t opened the doors to customers since before Christmas.
A massive water main break that sent thousands of gallons of water gushing into the building housing the Matrix, Sidelines Sports Bar and Sabra’s Place rendered at least two of those businesses inoperable for more than a month, causing what owners of those businesses say are significant financial losses.
“I’m out about $30,000 so far,” Straw said, “and that’s not adding in the lost business.”
Dave Vasilauskas, water superintendent for the city of Chehalis, said crews responded to a water main break Dec. 12 at about 3:30 p.m in the 300 block of Chehalis Avenue, just south of the city’s downtown core. An hour later, city crews had the leak shut off and the main was repaired by midnight.
But over the course of that hour, Vasilauskas estimated, 1,000 gallons per minute spewed from the broken main, which was a 6-inch pipe that had a hole in it the size of a baseball.
Straw, who co-owns the Matrix with his son, Moon St. Clair, said it will be some time before he can reopen the coffeehouse, which hosts live music and was home to a political action organization before the main broke.
“We’ve had to cancel our musical acts, and that’s really too bad because we’ve lost out on some world-class musicians that were traveling through,” Straw said.
Straw and Sabra Fisher, owner of Sabra’s Place on Chehalis Avenue, have both filed claims for damages with the city of Chehalis due to the damage the water has caused. Straw’s claim relates to the losses his business has sustained both by as-yet unknown structural damage and the money he is losing by staying closed.
Fisher, meanwhile, reported on her claim that she lost business and her business bank account overdrew due to the amount of money lost and bills that still needed to be paid. Fisher is asking the city to reimburse her for $15,000, which includes the overdraft fees and perishable food that had to be thrown out.
“Some of the damage is yet to be determined because we really can’t take a look at it it until the city takes the sidewalk up,” Straw said. “Most of the water came down Prindle Street and washed against the wall of the building. It caused some leaks that are coming in, and whenever it rains and even when it fogs up, we’ve got water coming into the building.”
Straw said the problem was made worse by the massive rainstorm that hit the area the weekend after New Year’s Day. His building’s floor, sub-flooring, tiles and truss — particularly in the front of the building — all continue to sustain damage, Straw explained.
“It now looks like it’s coming through the wall in a couple places, and when we had that really large rainstorm the water came into our dishroom,” Straw said. “I’m emptying out dehumidifiers once a day.”
When asked by a reporter when he planned to reopen, Straw said the continual damage to the building and work that will need to eventually be done to repair it makes him unsure. Additionally, Straw is worried about retaining his customers once the Matrix does reopen.
“I can’t answer that. I don’t know, but I’m hopeful we’ll be open by February,” Straw said. “The reality of a situation like this is the city is on the hook for paying us for every week we’re closed down. When you’re closed for too long, people tend to forget you and go away.”
The one business that came through with minimal damage, Sidelines Sports Bar, still had a significant amount of water flowing through it courtesy of its location just next to where the main broke along Chehalis Avenue.
“We had water coming in through the front wall,” manager Jamie Overbay said. “We had a lot of our customers bringing in squeegees and helping us get the water out. Our saving grace is that we have a concrete floor.”
Overbay said the business was closed for only a day because of the help they received and the fact the water for the most part traveled out of the building instead of pooling everywhere.
“We busted our butts to get it cleaned up,” Overbay said. “Some others weren’t so lucky.”
Vasilauskas said, from a city standpoint, aging infrastructure such as the main that wilted under pressure is being watched by city officials — but it’s difficult at best to tell what is and isn’t in good shape.
“Sometimes it just deteriorates,” Vasilauskas said. “It could happen anywhere depending on what’s going on with the pipe. It could last another 50 years and not have any issues with that whole street — it’s kind of hit and miss.”
Straw animatedly discussed his displeasure with the fact the city maintains aging infrastructure instead of working to replace it all. While he says he’s been able to work well with city staff in trying to pinpoint the source of the problem and reopen the Matrix’s doors, he still asks the city compensate him for a problem that might not see an end anytime soon.
“My claim is going to be substantial,” Straw said. “We’d be much better off if we simply replaced aging infrastructure instead of paying to bandage up damage.”
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Christopher Brewer: (360) 807-8235
