Clean up begins at businesses along Columbus Riverwalk

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- A night and day difference when it comes to flooding down by the Columbus Riverwalk.

Muddy Waters Sports Bar opened Wednesday while Rubens plans to open up Thursday.

Thursday afternoon both businesses spent the day cleaning up after being shut down for nearly a week due to rising waters.

This was how high the water was on Tuesday. Wednesday, you can drive right up to Muddy Waters. But that wasn’t the case just last week when the bar was forced to shut down.

“It put us to a dead stop. I mean we’ve been shut down since the flood trying to make sure nobody gets injured,” said Ray Boltwood.

Since the water has gone down the clean up is well underway. Here’s a look inside Ruben’s when flood waters rose.

“It was flooded pretty, pretty bad. There was garbage everywhere,” said Shaeden Boggan, who works at Rubens.

Ray Boltwood says it has been years since he has seen the water this high and do so much damage.

It’s been about 19 years I think. I was a young kid then. Where we’re standing now it was probably about chest level,” said Boltwood.

With cleaning sure to take months to complete, Rubens is set to open Thursday.

“Basically cleaning up and stuff is going to take a big process,” said Boggan.