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Old Town Alexandria Business Owners Hoping Irene Doesn't Mimic Isabel

By: Jonathan Wilson // August 27, 2011
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Old Town Alexandria residents stocking up on sandbags in advance of Hurricane Irene.
Jonathan Wilson
Old Town Alexandria residents stocking up on sandbags in advance of Hurricane Irene.

Old Town Alexandria often sees the worst flooding during and after major storms.

Charlie Lindsey owns an ice cream shop known as The Creamery, located just a block and a half from the Potomac River.

He spent much of Friday collecting city-supplied sandbags in case Hurricane Irene pushes the river past its banks.

"I need about 15 more than I have," Lindsay says. "I have about 60."

Flooding from Hurricane Isabel in 2003 forced The Creamery to close for 8 weeks.

"Last time it came up about 3 feet into my establishment," he says. "If it goes more than that, I'll have a problem."

For the moment, Lindsay doesn't think Irene will be as bad, but he's keeping a close eye on the storm surge forecasts for Sunday afternoon, after the worst of the winds have passed through.

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