LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — It's hard to believe that it's been three months since the unforgettable winter storm that left many businesses without lights and numerous roads frozen over.
The snowfall hit everyone and many are still recovering, like Samantha's Restaurant in Downtown Little Rock.
After a long three month shut down, owner Chris Tanner, said there's finally some light at the end of the tunnel.
"Don't take anything for granted because you never know," Tanner said.
The last time Samantha's dining room in downtown Little Rock was full of guests was more than 13 weeks ago, according to Tanner.
"We were surviving, we were making it happen. It was February, you could see light, vaccines coming," he said.
That all changed on February 19, when frozen temperatures caused a water main break in the middle of 4th Street.
Tanner said it put everything in his restaurant's basement six feet under water.
"Three million gallons later, blows out a couple of walls, which the basement for this restaurant, that's the nerve center for this restaurant, so everything was down there," he said.
The extensive amount of water damage transitioned Tanner's usually crowded restaurant into a building filled where chairs were up on tables and empty glasses were piled together.
"The damage was everything. All the alcohol, all the pumps, all the refrigeration for even upstairs," he said.
That list is extensive, according to Tanner, but now after months of work and waiting, the finishing touches are being done.
"New AV system. We're putting in new barstools and things like that. Just severe cleaning and getting her ready," he said.
Tanner said little by little they're putting the pieces back together, but nationwide shortages are also causing a bit of a road block.
"There's been delays on everything," Tanner said. "Everything and every day we get more news on what we can, what we can't get food wise."
Despite the obstacles they've had to go through, Tanner said they're excited and ready to serve people again.
"We're gonna get this rascal opened back up and start having some more fun," he said.
Tanner said that he hopes to open back up as early as this summer, potentially some time in the middle of June.