The business community in Sussex, N.B. is rising from the ashes after a fire destroyed a busy part of the downtown nearly two years ago.
Five shops, including John McNair’s outdoor sports shop, were destroyed when a massive fire ripped through the historic commercial district on Broad Street in September 2012.
McNair picked up the keys to his new space, which currently looks like a call centre, on Friday.
“We’ve got our work cut out for us, for sure,” says McNair. “But we’re excited to get at it. Get dirty and make it happen.”
His store is now on Main Street, but if given the opportunity to move back to Broad Street in the future, he says he wouldn’t hesitate.
“I know right after the fire, if I had the opportunity to open up right away, there was an army of people that would’ve jumped in to help do that.” he adds
Business owner Ann Ophaug has also rebuilt her soap shop, just down the street from where she watched crews bulldoze her store two years before.
“I couldn’t go home until I saw it come down. I had to know it was done,” says Ophaug.
Since the fire, a group of citizens have rallied together to purchase another property on the block, after hearing rumours an outside developer may move in. They have received several proposals and are now looking for a developer.
“We know we want a restaurant,” says Richard Sullivan of Friends of Broad Street. “We know we want businesses and commerce because that’s what it’s all about. There will be condominiums in the building, hopefully, and a place where people can gather.”
With files from CTV Atlantic's Sarah Plowman
