SAN DIEGO — People across Southern California are still cleaning up from the Jan. 22 storm that flooded many homes and businesses.
For Heidi Ledger, sometimes strength comes in the simple act of washing toys. Ledger is the owner of Thread Spun, a store in Encinitas that specializes in homemade and sustainable items.
The storm that rocked San Diego on Jan. 22 left her livelihood underwater. More than a week later, in the middle of rebuilding her store, she’s also salvaging what she can for a flood sale: things touched by flood water, but cleaned and sanitized, then put online for customers to bid on at a huge discount.
Ledger hosted her first flood sale in 2020 after her store flooded the first time. She created the Instagram account @threadspunfloodsale where she posted items for sale. Now, she’s bringing back the business model she hopes will help her survive a second flood.
“I would say ‘cult following,’ but that probably entails more than like 400 followers,” Ledger said. “It feels small, but it’s huge.”
Sam Bartlett is a research meteorologist with the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. He said January’s storm was so intense because of an atmospheric river sucking up moisture that fueled thunderstorms.
“This time of the year I get to be very much keeping in tune with the weather,” Bartlett said. “These extreme events are things we haven’t seen before, things you really can’t prepare for.”
He said they try to help people and agencies understand and prepare for the impacts of atmospheric rivers. With an El Niño year ahead and climate change looming, he believes these extreme types of events could happen more often.
“They could be heavy rainfall, particularly at lower elevations and maybe less snowfall at higher elevations, which could have implications for water resources in California,” Bartlett said. “That’s really what we try to do is help people understand these atmospheric rivers. Are they going to be good, are they going to be bad, at a certain period in time?”
Bartlett also encourages people to follow The Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, National Weather Service and NWS San Diego during extreme weather events to stay updated.
Ledger believes her community will show up for her flood sale and support her again. She encourages other small businesses owners to explore creative options as they rebuild.
“Please don’t give up. The world needs small business. We are the heartbeat of whatever community you’re in,” she said.
Ledger says she will get her flood sale up and running on her Instagram account as soon as she finishes cleaning all the inventory she salvaged.