Cleanup Continues In Ocean City After Irene

OCEAN CITY, Md. (WJZ) -- Cleanup is underway along the coast.  Jessica Kartalija reports tourists are back on Ocean City's boardwalk and they're spending cash, something businesses lost plenty of after mass evacuations.

"The storm killed business for a while and it was a shame to lose so much revenue.  We're grateful we didn't have any damage but it was still a hard hit to take at the end of August," said Jayne Dickerson.

A boardwalk t-shirt shop anticipated a record-breaking month until Irene came along. 

Now, Ocean City businesses and restaurants are preparing for customers to come back.

"We were having a great summer up until Friday but we should turn out to be even," said restaurant manager Brian Mushrush.

Meantime, crews are also clearing the streets in Rehoboth Beach.  Visitors are back on the boardwalk there, too.  The resort town was also evacuated.  Parking spots sat empty and hotel rooms went unoccupied.

"There's really no way to recover.  We just have to hope and because it's been such a strong season so far, it makes it a little more palatable to take right now," said hotel manager Chad Moore.

Stores are reopening their doors for business, in hope a flood of customers will return with what Irene washed away.