Venice shops still trying to dry out

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You wouldn't know it without looking up, but not having a roof hasn't dampened business one bit at the Ark Plaza in Venice.  At Yummies Donuts and BBQ, Allen Times is working double-time to push out his homemade donuts.

"Customers are out here waiting," he said.  "Locals are coming out and supporting, helping us out, whatever they can do they are asking how they can help."

Two weeks ago, Allen and other business owners got a startle when a strong line wind ripped their roof right off their building.  Now the plaza owner is trying to get a new one back on.

"They have a company here that is doing all of the drying," he said.

The owners have tried a number of times to start the work on the new roof, but every time they try, bad weather blows in and the work gets postponed.

"They dry it out, it rains; they dry it out, it rains. If it would stop for a day they could get a roof on this place," said Randy Kendrick.

At the Venice Print Center, Randy Kendrick works over the loud roar of dryers placed to keep the water out.

"It is our busiest time of the year and I think the storm brought more sales," said Kendrick.

Even though just about every business has one leak or more, no one has had any major damage.

"We lost a little bit of paper. Other than that it was just in an area where it was no big deal," said Kendrick.

Since the rain hasn't let up owners have been making due.

"We have everything tarped trying to keep it off," said Bobie Gable.

While at times it has been an annoyance at the Mutt Hutt, but one they can live with.

"It has just been an inconvenience, we are just disheveled a bit," added Gable.  "All in all, we were luckier than a lot of people. We are feeling very blessed. We didn't lose but one day of work."