A piece of Clovis history has burned to the ground and dozens of people are now left picking up the pieces. A massive fire destroyed the Country Rose Antique shop in downtown Clovis.
This brick and mortar shop stood tall in downtown Clovis for more than a century. Monday morning, the building and all it's history went up in flames.
Antique dealer Cheryl Baird says, "I thought my God. My whole inventory at once is gone. Just everything, even my showcases, everything is gone. It's really hard to believe. When am I going to wake up?"
The Country Rose Antique Shop was home to thousands of timeless treasures. Items that can never be replaced, now make up a pile of charred ruins. The fire left about a million dollars worth of damage in it's wake. The shop's owner and 22 dealers, like Cherly Baird, have lost everything.
"There were irreplaceable antiques in there. Not just mine but everyone. Really very very old pieces, well in to the early 1800's. We had genuine antiques."
The fire broke out around 3:00 a.m. The age of the building made it hard for firefighters to battle the massive blaze.
Clovis Fire Deputy Chief Mike Despain says, "It doesn't perform well under fire and so it weakens structures. Collapse hazard is the biggest issue we have to deal with, especially with this structure."
The flames were contained before spreading to connecting businesses. Nearby shop owners had a small mess to clean up. Pam Rosenberry says she's counting her blessings.
Nearby shop owner Pam Rosenbery says, "I was lucky I only have a little bit of smoke damage inside. We're still trying to clear that out, so yes, it was very scary."
"We've shopped here since I was a little girl and it's too bad. It's very sad for these people that have lost everything," says Clovis resident Wylene Powers.
An important piece of this well known antique community is now missing, and the people who made it the success it once was, are forced to start over.
"The comradery between myself and the other dealers that I've known for all these years and seeing them on a weekly basis. It's just sad," says Baird.
Clovis fire officials say the fire caused the roof to collapse. Due to safety issues, investigators may not be able to enter the shop for another week or so. At that point, officials hope to determine what exactly caused the fire.
The owner of the store tells us he's uncertain if he will rebuild.
The Country Rose Antique shop had been in business since 1988. The building has been in Clovis since the early 1900's.
TXT 24
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