When the Francis Scott Key Bridge fell, businesses across the region, especially those near the Port of Baltimore, found themselves facing a major crisis.

Among them Costas Inn, a beloved family-owned crab shack in Dundalk that has survived economic shifts and served the community for more than five decades.

On a busy Friday night at Costas, diners enjoy the restaurant’s signature crabs, generously seasoned with Old Bay, as the dining room fills with patrons.

Bill Montgomery, a long-time customer, recalls the moment he first learned of the bridge's collapse.

"I saw the video, thought it was AI," Montgomery recalled.

As the retired army colonel learned last March 26, what he saw was not artificial intelligence. The Key Bridge, a crucial link between Dundalk and other parts of Baltimore, fell after the Dali cargo ship struck a support pier, causing a 1.5-mile span to plummet into the Patapsco River.

“It kind of shocked me because I grew up in Dundalk. Watching that bridge get built in the ’70s was huge. It really connected us in a way that hadn’t been done before,” Montgomery said.

The incident claimed the lives of six men and disrupted daily commutes for thousands of drivers, including Montgomery, who used the bridge to travel from Dundalk to the Pentagon. Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board said the state failed to conduct critical tests on the bridge.

In the wake of the collapse, the Small Business Administration (SBA) set up economic recovery centers offering financial assistance to affected businesses. The SBA provided loans of up to $2 million at 4% interest for businesses and 3.25% for nonprofits.

“The deadline to apply for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan was December 30, 2024,” said SBA spokesperson Timothy Watson. “A 60-day grace period was given.”

According to SBA data, more than 6,300 applications were submitted, and $126,508,800 in loans have been disbursed to 2,300 businesses and nonprofits, including those in surrounding states.

Applications for grants through the Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) have also closed. CEO and President Shanaysha Sauls said they are currently in a 30-day review period. Small businesses could receive up to $50,000 in a lump sum to offset the incident’s impact.

However, the Triantafilos family, which owns Costas Inn, opted not to apply for the disaster loan or the BCF grant, choosing to weather the storm independently.

“Thank God we’re still successful and keep going,” said Costas Triantafilos, the founder. “But you can’t make up for your losses. We make our ends meet but a lot of places, they're hurting more than we are.”

Since the bridge closure, traffic near the Port of Baltimore has increased by 25%, according to the Baltimore Metropolitan Council. Some customers find the longer commute to Costas worthwhile.

“It's definitely worth the extra effort. But we're coming down from the north,” said Alex Hahn, another regular.

The owners, however, say the increased traffic has led to a 30% drop in revenue. Customers who used to visit two or three times a week now come only once or twice a month.

Despite the crowd on this busy night, Costas believes the business could have had more customers if not for traffic delays caused by an overturned truck in the tunnel.

According to the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), the average time to clear a traffic crash from Maryland highways is 20 to 30 minutes. The MDTA also reported that the region’s tunnels are now bearing the extra load of traffic from the closed bridge.

Nick Triantafilos, co-owner of Costas Inn, said the full effect of the bridge collapse on the business didn't become clear until much later.

“When you first came here a year ago, I didn’t think it was going to impact us that much," said Nick. "I remember saying, ‘Nah, we’re okay, we’ll be alright.’ But now, it takes an hour, hour-and-a-half to get here. And we’re talking about four years of this."

The bridge is expected to reopen in Fall 2028.

The bridge closure has strained the restaurant’s operations. Nick explained how it used to take just 17 minutes to pick up crabs at the airport. Nowadays the commute is unpredictable, depending on tunnel conditions.

"If it's raining, if there’s an accident, it’s just a downward spiral. If you're not here at a certain time with the crabs, to sort them and get them ready, that can really back things up.”

Despite the ongoing challenges they have no regrets about turning down the loan.
Peter Triantafilos, also a co-owner, is proud of how the family has kept things running.

"We haven’t lost an employee," said Peter. "We’re keeping everybody working. We’re just trying to work through it. We’re blessed. We've had employees here for 25 years, 30 years, 12 years. So the people that have worked here have stayed."

In an effort to reach more customers, Costas Inn plans to open a second location in Timonium next month. The family believes the new spot will help them adapt to the changes in commuter patterns keeping their claws in the game.

Bill Montgomery urges others to check out either location. With the bridge gone, he says dining at Costas is a kind of remedy.

“When you lose a bridge, a family member, why not come back to other family members? Cure yourself with food, have some crab cakes. Sometimes that kind of lessens the feeling you may have of a loss.”

NOTE: Since this story was reported, we learned the sad news that founder Costas Triantafilos has passed away.