The community has helped a local business reopen after it was destroyed by fire on King Street West in Bowmanville last year.

The fire destroyed two historic buildings, closed 10 businesses, displaced over 40 people, and killed a 54-year-old woman. Local business owner Tracey Pettigrew had two stores, Paisley’s and Romancing the Home, destroyed in the fire.

As the fire impacted several businesses in downtown Bowmanville, the community came together to support local business owners as they worked to recover and rebuild. Residents did everything they could to help, from offering physical support to raising money for those impacted. The Clarington Board of Trade launched a relief campaign that raised more than $85,000 for affected businesses.

Paisley’s was offered temporary space by another local shop, The Markets, to continue serving customers, as its previous location needed rebuilding. After learning about a new storefront available across the street from the original location, business owner Pettigrew quickly decided to reopen Paisley’s in downtown Bowmanville. She said the community played a huge role in helping her recover after the fire, and she would not want to move anywhere else.

Pettigrew said the encouragement and support from the community made it clear that reopening in Bowmanville was the right decision. Pettigrew’s new store is smaller than her old store, and there are challenges, but she is thankful to her community for their support and is focused on moving forward and rebuilding for the future.

Source: Katie Williams, The Chronicle