Affordable Designs and Consigns took on roughly 4 feet of floodwater during Hurricane Harvey. Prior to Harvey, owner Alison Steele’s business also took in high water during an unexpected flood in 2016. When Steele restored her business this year, she chose to replace the Sheetrock on the lower interior walls with tin to decrease damage in case there is ever another flood that damages her business. “If it happens again, we will be able to replace [the walls] quickly,” Steele said. The business closed for two months after sustaining roughly $300,000 in damage during the storm, Steele said. The business sells furniture and other home decor provided entirely by consignors. This inventory was not covered by insurance, Steele said, putting consignors at a loss when Affordable Designs and Consigns was overcome with water. Although the fiscal effect of the flooding event is a burden, Steele said customers quickly returned to her store, which has helped her business to begin recovering financially from the flood. “It was challenging and scary because you still have to pay your bills at home and [at Affordable Designs and Consigns] because we own the building,” Steele said. “But friends and family came out [to help repair the building], so I feel blessed either way. Business is as good as it ever was, so I can’t complain.”