• Jeb Wallace-Brodeur
• Chicken noodle pho at Pho Capital

Over the past eight weeks, the owners of Montpelier's flooded restaurants have navigated a second storm of challenges: figuring out how to rebuild safely and better, applying for grants and loans, loading credit cards with debt, negotiating with landlords, struggling to find contractors, and often trading in their whisks and knives for hammers and trowels.

But they are determined — and, little by little, many are clawing their way back. During my August 24 eating excursion (see "Capital Menu"), I checked in with several still-closed restaurants, and later I followed up with a few by phone and email.

• Melissa Pasanen ©️ Seven Days
• Chef-owner Niem Duong in the basement of Pho Capital

That Thursday, Niem Duong, chef-owner of Pho Capital, and two employees were refinishing chairs and painting the new lower walls of the restaurant's second dining room a bright aqua. The floor in the main dining room had been replaced, and most of the new equipment had been delivered. Duong said she was very thankful for her landlord's efficient building repairs, though she has still had to spend thousands of dollars.

The restaurant owner was determined to reopen before Labor Day weekend. "I want to open back up and make the money," she said. As we talked, a delivery truck pulled up with her first food order since before the flood. "We're going to start making shrimp egg rolls to go in the freezer," Duong said. "I feel better now."

On August 30, Duong's son, Nghia, confirmed by text that the restaurant would open the following day.

• Melissa Pasanen ©️ Seven Days
• Kevin Kerner at Three Penny Taproom

Down State Street and around the corner at 108 Main Street, Three Penny Taproom is not close to reopening, said co-owner Kevin Kerner, standing in the bar and restaurant on August 24. His best hope is mid- to late October. The walls were still torn open and the floorboards buckled. The difficulty of getting the space dry enough to start mold prevention treatment had stymied progress on rebuilding, Kerner said. "The waiting's just driving us nuts."

Kerner and his business partner, Wes Hamilton, are not new to flood remediation. Shortly before the July flooding, they had completed a pricey first-floor expansion of their 14-year-old business, partly to reduce their use of the basement. But the disaster overwhelmed their precautionary measures.

Kerner and Hamilton are now looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars in repair and equipment replacement costs on top of the expansion debt. Asked how they'll fund it all, Kerner shrugged. Three Penny has been approved for a good-size U.S. Small Business Administration economic injury disaster loan, "but that loan will cripple our children," he said.

The worst part, Kerner said, is knowing that flooding will happen again. The partners have debated moving, but Kerner said they can't imagine Three Penny anywhere else.

"We're part of the community," he said. "We've spent so much time and effort here to build our reputation. We are proud to employ up to 50 people."

As of Labor Day weekend, Three Penny now serves burgers and beer on its outdoor parklet Thursdays through Saturdays, from noon to 6 p.m., weather permitting. "We have to do something to generate some sort of income," Kerner said.

• Melissa Pasanen ©️ Seven Days
• Bohemian Bakery

At 83 Main Street, Bohemian Bakery's married co-owners, Annie Bakst and Robert Hunt, admitted they had serious conversations about whether to rebuild. But the outpouring of support — from financial contributions to a customer who showed up with squeegee in hand and put in hours of cleaning — encouraged them. The couple aim to reopen their bakery and coffee shop by the end of September — a tentative target, Bakst cautioned.

"I miss the routine," Hunt said. "I've got some good years left in me."

Hugo's Bar & Grill owner Thomas Christopher Greene said he plans to move his restaurant from its 118 Main Street home to a new downtown location and reopen by the end of September with a slightly different concept. He is still finalizing the details.

Oakes & Evelyn chef-owner Justin Dain reported that he and his kitchen team have been busy learning how to put up Sheetrock and install subflooring in the gutted space at 52 State Street. Dain said he is reorganizing the restaurant's use of its basement and hopes the city can improve infrastructure to minimize future flooding risk. He aims to reopen by the third week of September, depending on equipment deliveries.

• Melissa Pasanen ©️ Seven Days
• A sign in the window of Positive Pie

Positive Pie co-owner Carlo Rovetto said he and his wife and co-owner, Melissa Whittaker, will rebuild. But after enduring the fourth flood at their 18-year-old restaurant, they are taking time to work with consultants and designers first. They plan to stop using the basement of 22 State Street and create a more flood-resilient structure.

The couple are among the few restaurant owners who own their space and had flood insurance. But the sum approved by their insurance company "will get us only about a third of the way whole," Rovetto said.

Their reopening date will depend on financial and redesign considerations and contractor availability, he said: "I'm hoping by the holidays, by Christmas, but I'm prepared for the worst-case scenario. It could be spring."

Wilaiwan's Kitchen co-owner Timothy Azarian said by email that he and his wife, Wilaiwan Phonjan-Azarian, plan to reopen their 34 State Street restaurant, but they do not know how long that will take.

"We are also flood talk-fatigued," he wrote. "At this point, we just want to focus on rebuilding."