PHOENIX, Ore.– Every business along Highway-99 was forced to close its doors for nearly 2 weeks after the Almeda Fire ripped through the Ashland, Talent and Phoenix area.
Few businesses survived the fire.
One of them, an art and craft supplies store.
Scrappy Craft in Phoenix is one of the few businesses still standing on Highway-99.
Despite being an art store full of paper, wood, and flammable oil paint, it’s virtually untouched.
It says other than a cracked window and minimal smoke damage, it’s doing just fine.
Neighboring businesses weren’t as lucky.
Art instructor Nancy Graham says, “When you look across the street, or down that way, or when I came across the overpass to come into phoenix, words are inadequate to explain how I felt when I saw that.”
The store says it’s seen an overwhelming amount of support from customers and students.
“I was glued to the tv, I couldn’t believe it but ‘there it is it’s still standing.’ But not only that, I was amazed to find out that there wasn’t any smoke damage,” says Graham.
Incidentally, the shop moved from it’s first location in 2007, it says that location burned down in the fire.
The employees say they plan to remember their store’s good fortune for years to come.
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