Mickey’z Corner is temporarily closed after a storm that swept through Norman Saturday night.
High winds caused the restaurant’s freezers to lose power, according to the owner, Brianna Yowell, leading to an estimated $3,000 loss in inventory. She said her insurance would not cover the loss, because it was due to a power outage and not equipment malfunctions.
“We haven’t been able to open yet because we don’t have the funds for more inventory again without being covered by insurance,” Yowell said.
The closure comes as many other local restaurants have also faced power outages and temporary closures following the storm. Among these are The Moon Sushi and Asian Bistro and Othello’s Italian Restaurant, two other Campus Corner restaurants that lost an estimated $10,000 in inventory each. Yellow Dog Coffee Co. was also temporarily closed due to power outages.
Yowell said this was the second time the restaurant had lost power following a storm.
“About three weeks ago, we lost power here, and so we were closed for four days that time,” Yowell said.
Yowell has started a GoFundMe to raise money to replace her inventory, which has raised $2,270 of its $3,500 goal as of the time of publication. Yowell is also selling her tamales online via text in an effort to reopen.
“With our tamale fundraiser (and) the GoFundMe, hopefully we can open back up Monday,” Yowell said.
Prior to the storms, Yowell’s family has struggled financially following her husband Daniel Rios’ detainment by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Rios was detained in March, and Yowell said she doesn’t know when his next court date will be.
Yowell said the process has been tough for her and her kids, who depended on Rios’ income.
“They don’t understand. I don’t have the income. I have to tell them no, and dad never tells them no … ,” Yowell said. “Making a couple hundred dollars a day (at the restaurant) doesn’t pay the bills. It just pays my employees that work that day. I haven’t been able to keep up with my own personal bills.”
Despite the closure, Yowell is hopeful to get the restaurant open again.
“I do have tons of support in customers, and I don’t have any worries of losing customers. I know we’ll be crazy busy once we open again, …” said Yowell. “We have our everyday customers that come in every day and that helps and that makes you feel better.”
This story was edited by Audrey McClour and Reagan Rozzi. Kennedy Johnson and Tori Pham copy edited this story.
