Ellicott City Restaurant Owner: Flash Flood Was “Longest Hour” of His Life

Bridget Reed Morawski
WMAL.com

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. — (WMAL) Like most Saturday nights in the summer, Ellicott Mills Brewing Company was busy serving the late dinner rush. Timothy Kendzierski, the owner of the brewery on Ellicott City’s Main Street, was working in the basement-level Batskeller when the rain began.

The restaurant and brewery, an old, stone building prone to leaking, is situated near the Patapsco River. Kendzierski is used to a few puddles inside his business, and usually someone would squeegee up any wet spots. The flash flooding that inundated Ellicott city over the weekend, however, was not going to be solved by a mop and a bucket.

“Within five minutes, it went from the little bit of leakage when it rains hard to water pouring into the basement.”

Kendzierski, who spoke with WMAL over the phone, describes the traumatic event as the longest hour of his life. Within that time, the owner and his staff rushed customers from the basement to the first floor, then to even higher ground as the flood waters rose. By the end of the evening, he says, four feet of flood water would fill the basement.

No one was injured, but there was a close call. One woman using a basement-level bathroom was trapped as floodwater pushed against the door, barring her escape. Staff were able to pull her out of the bathroom and bring her up to the first floor.

After the heavy rainfall passed, Kendzierski looked out onto the damage surrounding the Ellicott Mills Brewing Company, describing the scene as a war zone. During the chaos, he witnessed cars floating down the street, shifting onto sidewalks, banging into poles, or sailing right on down the hill.

The Ellicott Mills Brewing Company is looking at “six figures worth of damage,” according to Kendzierski. Despite the cost, he feels grateful that he wasn’t hit as hard as the businesses that are situated further down the road.

“I have a lot of friends who live and work in Ellicott City who lost everything – their home and their work,” said Kendzierski.

Rebuilding After The Storm

Kendzierski commends the local and state government for what he believes was a rapid response in terms of both manpower and financial support, but says it can’t make up for what he and his neighboring businesses are going through.

“The response from the government has been great,” said Kendzierski. “But at this point, still, it’s frustrating when you’re a businessowner or a resident and you can’t get to your belongings, and you can’t get to your paperwork that you need to get to to call your insurance company.”

For those interested in supporting Ellicott Mills Brewing Company, a page has been set up to raise money for employees who will be losing pay and tips while the restaurant recovers. The page can be found here.