A crash that occurred on Black Friday in South Omaha has halted sales for one popular business.
An elderly woman crashed her car into the corner of Plaza Latina at 24th and O Streets around 12:30 p.m. Friday, hitting Computer Doctor, a computer repair shop. No one was severely injured. All business inside the Plaza temporarily closed while Omaha Police and Omaha Fire checked the structure of the building.
Emmanuel Hidalgo, the owner of Computer Doctor was having a Black Friday sale at the time of the crash. He had dozens of new computers and gadgets out on display, as well as several items he was repairing.
Hidalgo says he lost nearly 90 percent of his equipment in the crash.
Pictures show computers, iPads, TVs, and cell phones shattered on the shop’s cement floor – some of those items belonged to customers who had dropped them off to be repaired.
“Not only did I lose all my brand new computers and equipment, but now I have to also replace my customers’ items that were destroyed,” said Hidalgo.
Hidalgo and his crew quickly cleaned the scene over the weekend in efforts to get business back up.
“We didn’t even know where to start. We keep finding pieces everywhere – some in here, some outside on the street,” said Hidalgo. “Plus we didn’t have power yesterday and we’re stilling running extension cords from other places so we can get some light in here and at least stay working.”
Hidalgo boarded up the broken windows surrounding his shop, but the clients aren’t coming back.
“People think we’re closed. That we shut down or that I’m just not here,” said Hidalgo. “I’m trying to get back to normal and get sales going and people keeping calling me asking when I’m coming back and I’m like, I’m here – they’re asking if we’re closed.”
As a result, two new ‘Open’ signs were placed outside the building, in efforts to inform clients the shop is still in business.
Hidalgo lost more than $25,000. He’s currently waiting for the police report so he can file a claim with the driver’s insurance company.
People in the community started a GoFundMe to help Hidalgo’s business.
