LAPLACE — Broken windows, fallen ceiling tiles and water damage are just some of the damages business in the Belle Terre Plaza in LaPlace suffered as a result of a tornado that ripped through the area Tuesday evening.

Authorities say two tornados touched down in St. John the Baptist Parish causing significant damage in LaPlace and beyond.

Wonder Cuts hair salon is one of the wounded.

General manager Denise Ramagoz said she wasn’t at the store when the tornado hit but two of her stylists and a costumer were. She said they had to run to the break room in the back and hide under a table until they felt it was safe. Then, they had to be let out by people from a neighboring store.

“Coming in and seeing all the damage was pretty devastating,” Ramagoz. “We had a beautiful shop (Monday morning) and now it’s gone. The entire front wall is gone, ceiling tiles are gone and the whole lobby is a mess. I’m a little stunned at the moment.”

Ramagoz said she was worried about the stylists being out of work while repairs were being done, but owner Chad Turnley said that wouldn’t be a problem.

“They won’t lose their jobs,” he said. “In fact, the stylists are going to work at other stores in the meantime.”

Turnley said the damages the store sustained were merely cosmetic and things could be replaced, adding he is glad no one in the store was injured.

“It’s pretty devastating when you see something like this. I think we got the brunt of the storm in this area,” he said. “We came (Tuesday) night and it was dark and there was kind of an eerily feeling.”

The owner said multiple stores around the area were damaged during Hurricane Isaac so many local businesspeople have dealt with damage before.

Furniture store Rent-A-Center was another business that sustained damages that could potentially hurt the business, assistant manager of sales Tammy Johnson said.

“It could take a couple of days to clean up; it’s a lot of glass and glass is not easy to get up,” Johnson said. “(Damages) like this can hurt us, because we make a business off of generating agreements on sales or deliveries. This is a time of year where things are slow, and something like this will make things even slower. It’s going to hurt us, it’s going to push us back.”

Johnson said most of the furniture that sustained damage were items toward the front of the store. Some of the furniture sustained scratches from broken glass, ceiling tiles falling and a bedroom with water damaged because of the rain.

Johnson wasn’t in the store Tuesday night because it was her day off but she received a call shortly after and was told about the damages.

“I just couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I’ve never witnessed anything like this; it’s just unbelievable to have this hit so close to home. I’m just glad everyone was OK.”

Account representative Zena Moore was about to get off work when the tornado hit.

“It was scary,” she said. “I ran to the back and hid behind the desks. We have busted windows and we had a part of the store that came down. I’ve never gone through a tornado before.”

After seeing multiple warnings on her cell phone, Moore said she went to the window to see how bad the storm was.

“I saw rain that was coming straight and I knew that was wrong,” she said. “It was scary. I’ve never seen rain come down like that. I didn’t stay to see the tornado. I screamed my manager’s name and than ran to the back after that the lights shut off. I’m going to say I was hiding for probably three to five minutes. It wasn’t that long, but it felt like it was long.”

Patrons in French Rivera Fitness had to seek shelter in the women’s bathroom when the tornado came through, Cheryl Allnet said.

Allnet, the general manager, was at the location with Tuesday evening with those working out when she saw the tornado over Winn-Dixie.

“It was just spinning; it was a wide as you could see,” Allnet said. “I was opening the door to let a member in when he screamed, ‘get in the back!’ So we all ran to the ladies bathroom, all seven of us. The pressure was so intense we couldn’t hear. When we felt like it had stopped, we came out and saw the devastation.”

Allnet said this was her first time riding out a tornado.

“I rather deal with a hurricane any day,” she said. “You can prepare for them.”