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Banko’s Bounces Back After the Flood

WEST NANTICOKE — Banko’s Restaurant in West Nanticoke is alive and well now, just about a year after the flood. Newswatch 16 was there last year to ...

WEST NANTICOKE -- Banko's Restaurant in West Nanticoke is alive and well now, just about a year after the flood.

Newswatch 16 was there last year to see the damage right after the flood waters came through. Today, people at the restaurant are saying Banko's is bigger and better than before.

Banko's Seafood Restaurant along Route 11 in West Nanticoke stands strong now.It's a completely different picture from how it looked just a year ago, when flood waters tore through the village, leaving nothing but the shell of a restaurant.

The owner's mother Arlene remembers that day well.

"You wouldn't even have known it was a restaurant. It was just a mess," said Arlene Bankovich.

"It was literally covered. I mean water was 2 feet higher than it was in agnes. It wiped everything out around here," said Dave Kazocas, of West Nanticoke.

When the flood came through, Banko's was completely underwater but they had no intention of closing up shop.

"When asked how long he was going to be close, he said i'll have it open and running in 30 days and it was exactly 30 days," said Bankovich.

It took just 30 days, and the restaurant was back.

Bankovich says the building is even bigger than before, and regulars like dave kazocas says the restaurant holds bigger meaning now too.

"What was the feeling like for you guys who come here so often? What was that like?" Newswatch 16 asked.

"Like being back home. Yeah. Like being back home," said Kazocas.

The people we spoke with today said what they remember most about the flood was how everyone came together and made it through.

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