A beacon of recovery

In 2016, CTL Home Center opened its remodeled doors in a new waterfront location, bringing a 50,000-sq.-ft., state-of-the-art home center shopping experience and drive-through lumberyard to the 25,000 or so people of Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands.

Today, after months of sluggish recovery following the devastating one-two punch of hurricanes Irma and Maria late last year, CTL plays an even more important role — a center for rebuilding. 

“It made me feel good just a week ago when a customer walked up to me recently with a basket full of products, and she said, ‘Micheal, thank God you have this store open. I don’t know where we would be with the recovery without this store,” said Micheal Thomas, managing director of CTL Home Center. 

While hurricanes and other natural disasters dominated headlines late last year, the island of Tortola was one of the less-publicized disaster areas. But the island’s plight was particularly difficult. Following the direct hit from Irma and its 200-plus-mph winds, communication with the rest of the world was lost. Marinas, buildings and even prisons were blown away.

One of the first people Thomas reached out to once lines of communication were restored was Robert Bass, Orgill’s international territory manager. Thomas let him know everything was fine and to prepare for resupply. Many CTL staff lost their homes in the storms, and Thomas said vendors rushed to their aid with a variety of materials for the relief effort.

Heroics through the storm cycle included an all-night tie-down session, bicycle rides along streets closed to automobiles, numerous nights sleeping in the store and strenuous bracing of the doors during the actual storm surge to prevent breaches. 

“It’s been a hell of a ride,” Thomas said. “I can’t fully explain it to you. It’s like a person in Houston talking about the flood. If you have ever been in a building in a hurricane when the building shook like an earthquake, you’ll know. We went through that for hours.” 

The tourism industry, crucial to the island’s economy, is still reeling. Hotels and restaurants remain shuttered all over the island. But shipments are arriving with increased frequency to CTL Home Center.

“Trying to get back on our feet is going to take time,” Thomas said. “And everybody knew what this place means to the community.”