REEDSVILLE, Ohio (WTAP) – A business in Meigs County recently burned down, but the owner is more worried about the near houses.
Thursday Oct. 23 Reed’s Country Store reported the business being on fire.
The business owner, Kirk Reed said he went into the store early that day and noticed the lights flickering, so later that day when an employee told him they smelt something burning, he assumed it was an electrical issue.
“There were no customers there and I knew we had issues with a light switch earlier, so I check it and nothing was wrong,” Reed said. “I could see orange flames under a door and that was when I knew it was a fire.”
The burnt remains of the building still had smoke and small flames coming out of it almost 24 hours after the fire, according to Reed.
“I think the fire lasted so long because the structure was so big,” Reed said. “The fire was so big because we have so much paperwork in there from over the years. Just things that my dad didn’t want to get rid of so its sentimental.”
Reed’s dad and uncle were business partners and opened the store in 1958 and built the two houses neighboring the store.
“My dad would tell me stories about how the store took off back then because the business had only been here for a few years before they built the dam over there,” Reed said. “There were up to five thousand people working on the dam and they all would come to the store. The business was booming with customers then.”
In 1980 Reed’s parents took full ownership of the business by buying out his uncle, and Reed stated the business has been in his family ever since.
“My dad was all about the store and keeping it open for the community,” Reed said. “Not for the money.”
Reed’s parents retired in 2017 and later passed away in 2019, and at the time Reed was a teacher at Eastern High School.
“I was a teacher for over 20 years, and I knew I couldn’t do both, so I just quit to be here full time,” Reed said.
When Reed was asked about how the fire has affected him, he started tearing up.
“It all just happened and it’s pretty rough,” Reed said. “The business has been my family’s whole lives, and we all grew up with it.”
He said he is not as worried about the store, but he is worried about the house that burned down.
“Business is a business, and we can do what we can to replace what we can,” Reed said. “I’m more concerned about them losing their house.”
The business was a huge part of this small town’s community, and it is known as the ‘Reedsville Mall,’ according to Reed.
He said people that don’t live the area anymore came back to visit and the people in town all became regular customers over the years.
“This isn’t just a personal loss,” Reed said. “It’s the employee’s and community members we’ve had over the years.”
Reed asked for continued prayers and support and will try to have updates soon and he hopes they will be able to rebuild the business in the future.
“We are hoping to rebuild somehow, but if we don’t someone may buy it or we will just build a smaller store,” Reed said.
Read more: Crew battles fire at store in Reedsville
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