Bisbee's Main Street is struggling to regain its footing after a devastating blaze tore through two of its historic businesses, incinerating the popular Many Fine Things art and antiques store and an adjacent olive oil shop, according to ABC15. The inferno, which erupted late Wednesday night, left the small community reeling, with video footage capturing the buildings consumed by fire that ultimately led to an extended closure of the cherished downtown area, city leaders and fire crews now reckon with the aftermath uncertainties of reconstruction plans.
The heartache spread to Tom and Kathy Jackson, owners of a nearby cake shop, whose business stands a stone's throw away from the disaster, they shared their fears and hopes in an interview with ABC15 sister station KGUN9, "Safe doesn't feel that safe when your friends are out of their business, some people are out of their homes," Kathy remarked, "When your friends are out of their business, some people are out of their homes. We're just so fortunate it wasn't windy, that our firefighters were right on top of it."
The Jacksons recall Bisbee's tumultuous history of rebirth following the catastrophic fire of 1908; Tom pointed out, "Bisbee's come back from many worse things." He drew parallels to how the community's indomitable spirit re-envisions itself even as barriers, fences, and the lingering scent of smoke tell tales of recent tragedy.
Despite the closed doors and debris-lined streets, businesses like Bisbee Soap and Sundry count on online sales to bridge the gap left by the absence of physical foot traffic as the once-bustling Main Street faces its forced solitude, Kathy said the heart of Main Street still relies on people and vibrant crowds to come into stores to shop, acknowledging, "Even a weekend of street traffic (makes a difference)...We don't know how long this will go on."
