KIRKLAND, Wash. — Eastside eateries that still had power after Tuesday's bomb cyclone are getting slammed with customers. While Panda Express in Totem Lake had a line out the door Wednesday night, even the locally-owned, small businesses are getting an unexpected payday.
"It was a great night for us," said Seth Feller, general manager of Lucky 7 Bar and Grill.
He said it was needed relief. Ever since the pandemic, business at Lucky 7 has been a bit slower, according to Feller.
"COVID kind of took us off the map a little bit," he said.
Customers stayed at home, he said. But not this week.
"I sure as heck don't wanna be home," said Dan Sarusal, who is experiencing a power outage. "Nothing is open in Woodinville, and boy, did I want a cold beer and lunch out!"
Jenny Estbe, a woman suffering a power outage in Bothell, echoed that sentiment.
"We haven't had hot food in two days, so we came here for lunch," said Estbe.
People are utilizing Lucky 7's many tables and electrical outlets to get work done, said Feller. He hopes the exposure they've garnered this week will help their brand recognition and business long-term.
"Half the bar over here had their laptops out," said Feller. "Anybody who works from home, or their offices are closed... they're here!"
These last three nights, he said, there were times when every seat was filled in the sprawling property.
"We ran out of so much of everything," said Feller.
Even regulars, like Estbe, noticed a difference inside the place.
"Fathers and daughters playing pool, and just, you know, a lot of families. I don't usually see that," said Estbe.
But outside the eatery, traffic headaches plague the Totem Lake area.
"All the children are out of school, and they're hanging around there," said Sarusal. "Every road that goes into that mall is backed up."
Much like Lucky 7 Bar and Grill, the business next door, Santa Fe Mexican Grill, is also locally owned.
The owner, Jeannette Verduzco, told KING 5 that on Wednesday night, they had the longest wait at the hostess stand that they've had since before the pandemic.
Margaritas were flowing, booths were bustling and servers were breaking a sweat. They even ran out of chips and salsa at one point, though they've since stocked back up.
Still, juggling the demand has been challenging for both restaurant owners, as they didn't anticipate they'd need to stock up with extra food and drink products. But they're managing, and both said they're proud to serve the community in its time of need.