07/17/2026
🐝 Smiley Bee Update: Rain, Waiting Games, and Big Future Plans ⛈️📋
It has been about a month since our last update, and two months since the storm forced us to close our doors. Since so many of you have been asking how things are going and if we're reopening, we figured it was time to check in!
While we don’t have massive progress to report yet, we wanted to share where we stand with insurance, how we’re keeping the water out, and an exciting vision we are developing for our basement space.
📋 The "Getting Things Fixed" Update
To be entirely honest, we are still in a waiting game. The insurance company sent an engineer to look over the building on Monday, June 22nd. Because of the July 4th holiday, he estimated it would take 3 to 4 weeks to turn in his official report.
We are at the 3 ½-week mark now, so we are hopeful that his report is either turned in or will be very shortly. Once the insurance company receives it, they will still need to review it and make their final determination on how they want to proceed.
⛈️ The Battle of the Rain
In the meantime, we have become master water-catchers! We currently have 9 makeshift funnels made of plastic sheeting that route roof leaks directly into 33-gallon trash cans, which are emptied by automatic sump pumps. There are always a few areas we just can't catch or are spread out too much to have funnels everywhere, which we have more buckets to catch and pour into the bigger trash cans.
Most of the time, this works beautifully. However, when we get those heavy downpours at rates of 2 ½ inches of rain per hour, leaks multiply and shift, and we find ourselves playing a fast-paced game of "adjust the buckets."
Our biggest hurdle lately was when the storm knocked the power out for an hour and a half. No power = no sump pumps = overflowing trash cans. The next morning, we were right back down in the basement sucking up water. But through it all, we are keeping the structure as dry as possible most of the time!
🌱 Looking Ahead: A Spring Reopen & New Lunch Ideas!
Despite the challenges, we do believe we are going to try to reopen! We are working on some fantastic new lunch concepts that will speed up service and bring some unique flavor offerings to Falls City that, at least currently, aren't already here.
Realistically, we don't expect to be open before the end of the year. Once we do have the roof repaired and know there aren't going to be more leaks, we've got buckled floors to replace, running drywall to repair, and so much more. We are officially aiming for an early Spring reopening—hopefully in March! Wish us luck! 🌸
🗺️ The Big Reveal: Our Basement Remodeling Idea!
Since we have to tear things out and rebuild anyway, we want to make the space even better for our community. We have started envisioning a remodel of our basement to turn it into a more versatile, useable, rentable space. We're hoping to have the basement ready before the holidays.
We want this area to be perfect for business or club meetings, educational or dance classes, private parties, family reunions, and more!
Originally, the basement was one massive, open 50’ x 75’ room—which is often way more space than most groups actually need. Our new plan is to divide the basement into two distinct, versatile spaces:
Room A (21’ x 47’ - Carpeted): Perfect for cozy gatherings, educational classes or formal meetings.
Room B (approx. 23’ x 60’ - Hard flooring): Great for dance classes, active events, or parties.
Even better: Each of these rooms can be further divided by temporary walls into smaller, private spaces depending on your needs (ranging from intimate 21' x 21' rooms to larger 23' x 32'). If someone wants to rent the entire basement, we're hoping the layout will still feel connected and cohesive, while allowing us to host smaller, affordable, and simultaneous rentals most of the time.
💬 We Want Your Feedback!
We want to build this space for you, so please let us know your thoughts in the comments:
What do you think of this basement layout idea?
What would you or your organizations potentially use a space like this for?
Do these room sizes sound reasonable and useful to you?
Thank you all for your continued patience, kind words, and support while we navigate this storm. We miss you all and can't wait to welcome you back to a better-than-ever Smiley Bee next Spring! 💛
