On Wednesday morning, July 15, a tornado touched down in the San Antonio area amid ongoing storms that have flooded multiple roads and affected nearby cities such as Boerne and Uvalde. Damage from the tornado extended to The Rim, where wind and debris pounded businesses, including the Santikos Palladium movie theater and numerous local and chain restaurants.
MySA was on the scene following the aftermath of the tornado, and while some businesses were able to reopen without problems, others were forced to close. Luxor Mediterranean Cuisine and Hookah Lounge was among the latter group and was visibly marred by the storm, with broken glass and furniture strewn outside the business.
“Unfortunately, when we saw the weather this morning, we knew there will be a lot of damage to our restaurant,” said Said Motawea, who spoke to MySA on behalf of Luxor. “Even the [outdoor] TV flew down the road.”
As Motawea talked about his family’s restaurant, The Rim staff and some security workers were cleaning up the mess left by this morning’s tornado touchdown. Motawea said that the shopping center’s management was responsive and doing their best to assist businesses in need.
“The general manager, Mr. Dean Domingo, he sent a few guys to clean up, and even including the security people. So they are taking a good action, which I’m happy to see,” Motawea told MySA.
Other restaurants that appeared physically impacted by the storm included Bluefin Sushi & Ramen, Bakudan Ramen, and Potbelly. For the time being, Luxor will focus on assessing the damage and will remain closed until all debris is cleared from the business.
“Unfortunately, we have to close maybe today or tomorrow ’til we get everything cleaned, and we will also get in touch with the insurance to see what kind of help they can do,” Motawea said.
Dining and Cooking