It will probably be another week before the Missouri River at Parkville, Missouri, is back in its banks. The latest National Weather Service map predicts sometime next Tuesday or Wednesday.
But merchants around the quaint downtown are weathering the flood just fine.
“It’s been great for us. We’ve had our best days of the year so far,” says Jeff Cunningham, who owns Old Town Sweets and Antiques. His shop sits just above the flooded English Landing Park. “People are coming from all over to see the water, and while they’re here, they’re buying candy, ice cream, having our sandwiches.”
Business is so good that Cunningham hasn't had enough time to make more fudge.
Just up the street Mark Bentley who owns Bentley Guitar Studios bought bags and plastic just in case the river crossed the railroad tracks and into downtown. “We just moved everything off the ground floor Saturday night,” he says.
Bentley says while the shop was closed Saturday the next day business was back to normal. “We had a pretty healthy day because there was a lot of traffic down here with all sightseers and gawkers to look at the event and we got some extra business that made up for our lost business."
The flooding seems to have cut into recreation. “I run in English Landing Park and Platte Landing Park, which are right here, currently under water,” says Rich Kasyjanski from Kansas City. “I moved here in ’95 and I don’t think the water has been this high since I moved here.”
Sam Zeffis KCUR's metro reporter. You can follow Sam on Twitter @samzeff
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