‘Looking forward to better days’: Harlym Blue’Z still recovering one year after Richmond water crisis
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — This week marks one year since the Richmond water crisis left thousands across the city without running water for days, forcing many businesses to shut down.
8News has been checking in with local business owners to see how they are recovering financially. Some say they received no financial assistance from the city.
At Harlym Blue'Z, a restaurant on Richmond’s Northside, music and community continue to fill the space -- but co-owner Teshia Lesane said the financial recovery has been difficult.
"No, we have not [recovered]," she said. "Like I said, we've taken, probably, a 30% to 35% overall deficit last year in revenue."
Lesane and her wife opened the restaurant four years ago. She said they never anticipated a crisis that would halt operations for nearly a week.
"We weren't able to operate because we didn't get the 'okay' until Saturday afternoon to operate as normal," she said. "And so we lost a big catering event on that Saturday, plus our normal days of business."
Lesane said the restaurant lost about $12,000 in revenue during the water crisis alone. She said they later applied for Richmond’s Small Business Recovery Grant Fund, requesting $5,000 to help offset the losses.
Their application was denied -- and Lesane said the city did not provide a reason.
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"To hear that I didn't get it, and then to know that there was no reason -- I felt it was devastating for me," Lesane said.
She said the water crisis' financial impact made 2025 especially challenging and recovery is still ongoing one year later.
"I've seen friends that have closed down in the last year," Lesane said. "So, to be still standing ... that's kind of the one good grace that we have, to still be standing, and just looking forward to better days."
Lesane said the restaurant is currently partnering with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on a special exhibit in hopes of bringing in new customers. She said anyone who visits Harlym Blue'Z with a receipt from the exhibit will get 10% off their order.
