Low-Interest SBA Loans Available After Tulsa Tornado

Businesses affected by a midtown Tulsa tornado will get some help.

The Small Business Administration is making loans available for homes and businesses that were damaged.

More than 140 homes and businesses were affected by the storms in Tulsa County. 

While some are still closed others are open and ready for business.

8/6/2017 Related Story: EF2 Tornado Damage Confirmed, Siren Issue Addressed

Mollina Petschke, a bartender at The Last Call, said business has been a little slow after reopening after an EF-2 tornado ripped through Tulsa.

"People didn't know we were open. We posted on our Facebook page to let the public know and then there's been so much construction and traffic. But it is picking up," Petschke said.

Petschke remembers what it was like just a few weeks ago.

It was just after 1 a.m. Sunday morning when the door to the local bar started shaking.

"We went into the closet, As we were going into the closet, the front door opened this way, the back door opened that way, and everything just went right through," Petschke said.

Petschke said she didn't know if she was going to make it.

She said she could feel the pressure change, but that it was over as quick as it began.

When she got out of the closet, the power was off and there was minimal damage to the bar, but she said the storm had blown in all kinds of debris from outside.  

"We had water up to our ankles and there was glass everywhere. The storm had blown in all kinds of debris but it wasn't ours," Petschke said.

The bar did not have significant damage.

But others were not so lucky.

Outside there were signs blown over and buildings picked apart and many are still picking up.

For those places, disaster assistance from the SBA is available.

And as Tulsa continues to pick up, Petschke is thankful.

"I mean we can say we lived through a tornado. We survived," Petschke said.