| Page 2 of 2 < |
Grief, Worry for Island's Lost Anchors
Leonard Schultz, owner of Harbor Island Marina in the background, walks among the ruins of Bowen's Inn.
(Photos By James A. Parcell -- The Washington Post)
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
"I don't know if you could recover that kind of clientele with anything else around Solomons," said Bobby Swann, president of the Solomons Civic Association.
The hotel section of Bowen's Inn beside the Lighthouse was singed but also survived. Bowen's chef James Lazaro spent yesterday afternoon in the basement salvaging food from the freezer and commiserating with co-workers.
"Tonight would have been all-you-can-eat taco night," he said. Some of his co-workers decided not to go look. "The ones who have been here longest don't want to see."
Joan Simmons, the third-generation owner in the Bowen family who had lived on the second floor of the restaurant, hadn't returned since the fire began Wednesday.
"She'll come back when she's ready," Lazaro said.
"She's hanging in there," said Gladys Bowers, 73, a lifelong friend of Simmons's who helped her with the inn's bookkeeping. "We're all old English Scot stock. We can take what life dishes out."
Richard Fischer, owner of the Lighthouse Inn beside Bowen's, returned to look at the collapsed buildings yesterday but was too upset to talk. On Wednesday, as firefighters were putting out the final flames, Fischer said he would try to rebuild at least the outdoor deck in time for the summer season.
His wife, Susan, said yesterday that they had spent a sleepless night trying to figure out their next steps. There were employees to call, parties to cancel, permits to apply for. A popular destination for wedding receptions, the Lighthouse Inn's records had been destroyed in the fire, and the Fischers were hoping news of the fire would reach engaged couples.
"We've been getting calls all day," she said, from friends offering help, longtime customers crying. "Some said they felt like we should have a funeral or something."
