What makes a local business? For owner of store destroyed by arson, it's all about community
CBC
The shock and dread Maggie MacTavish felt as she watched smoke billow out of her downtown Fredericton sporting-goods store Tuesday night has turned to a feeling of hope.
"I can't even count the people that have reached out, like, just to help us with anything we need — cleaning, babysitting my daughter, like, just crazy stuff," said MacTavish.
"I know that we're not going to be going at it alone."
The store has been a fixture in Fredericton for 56 years.
A 49-year-old man has been charged with arson and breach of probation after a fire caused extensive damage to the inventory section of the building and smoke damage to everything else.
MacTavish, the co-owner of the Queen Street shop, said she always knew they had a loyal customer base because of how long it's been around, but she said with the changing owners over the years — despite staying in the family — it's nice to see that people still view it the same.
"Sometimes I get lost in that it's just my job and I'm working there day to day, but when I think about it, like, every day, I'm working with my friend Robbie, who's one of my best friends growing up," said MacTavish, speaking about the shop's co-owner.
"My uncle Ace, our friend Chris … every day I'm kind of hanging out with people that I'm friends with and family with, and all the customers, like, we do get new ones, obviously, but a lot of them, we see weekly, daily, and you get to know them really well.
After talking to their insurance company, and hearing the overwhelming support from the community, MacTavish said the store will go on.
That was something that was clear to her not even 24 hours after the fire.
MacTavish still needs to get more information about the building itself, and her goal would be to stay in the same spot, but that is still up in the air. In the meantime, they are looking for a temporary spot, hopefully still in the downtown area — which she says has a particular community feel.
"I know lots of the other business owners on a personal level, like, we play sports with them … and we all shop around as well. I just think you don't get that feeling elsewhere," she said.
"It's proven by how many of them have reached out to me in the last few days with just offers of help and words of encouragement."
While a temporary location is still in the works, all of the store's inventory was destroyed, except for a few things stored off site.
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