Last summer, more than six feet of muddy water from an historic flood filled the Isom IGA, covering nearly everything with a muddy slime. The health department condemned all of the groceries inside the 16,000-square-foot Eastern Kentucky store.
After eight months of cleaning, repairing, renovating and rebuilding, the grocery store is planning a soft re-opening Saturday and will hold a ribbon cutting Wednesday.
Gwen Christon, who began working at the grocery store 50 years ago — and who, along with her husband, Arthur, bought the business 25 years ago — said she hopes the grocery store’s re-opening will be an encouragement for her community.
“Things get better,” Christon said. “Day by day we heal. And if we can just continue to dig in, work hard, be patient, we can come back to the top.”
Donations helped fuel renovations for the store, which will officially reopen and hold a ribbon cutting ceremony on April 5.
Before and after photos and images of the damage from flooding show how far the destroyed grocery store, and the town, have come in the rebuild.
The Isom IGA was ravaged by historic floods in July 2022. The store’s inventory was spoiled by the flood waters. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
Dale Blair, who has worked at the Isom IGA for 41 years, stocks shelves Thursday as the store prepares to re-open. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
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Workers pile canned foods and other grocery items from Isom IGA outside the store on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022. All of the food had to be thrown out after the store was flooded. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
Crews work to patch asphalt in the parking lot of Isom IGA on Thursday. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
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Dale Blair pushes a cart full of canned goods to be thrown out at Isom IGA on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
The shelves at the Isom IGA are once again stocked as the store prepares to re-open Saturday. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
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Gwen Christon stands in an aisle at the Isom IGA in Isom, Ky., on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
Christon worked her whole life at the IGA, first as a cashier, then as the owner with her husband, Arthur. “Things get better,” she said Thursday. “Day by day we heal.” Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
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A layer of mud covers most surfaces at Isom IGA last August after flooding devastated Eastern Kentucky. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
Two days before the store’s re-opening, employees work to fill shelves at the Isom IGA. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
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Last summer, more than six feet of muddy water crested inside the store, covering cans and bread loaves in a toxic slime. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
“I do believe God has brought us back,” Gwen Criston said. “God is letting people see the miracle. He has surrounded me with wonderful people from IGA to MDI, they’ve been my boots on the ground.” Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
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David Sexton, an employee at Isom IGA in Isom, Ky., uses a shovel to scoop up product to be thrown out on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022. All the thousands of pounds of groceries inside the 16,000 square foot store were condemned by the health department. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
A soft opening for the Isom IGA is planned for Saturday and a ribbon cutting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 5. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
