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Franklin business owners determined to reopen after fire

Posted at 1:59 PM, May 21, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-21 17:26:47-04

FRANKLIN, Va - Days after a massive fire destroyed a business in Franklin, the business owners say they are determined to rebuild.

The fire in downtown Franklin began Thursday afternoon. According to Jason Harrell, the owner of Trinkets and Treasures, the store where the fire began, it was an electrical fire.

"We tried the fire extinguishers and we literally ran into the closet trying to put it out," said Harrell.  "It’s a small closet with the flames and we were in there trying to put it out."

No one was injured in the fire, but the building, which housed Trinkets and Treasures, as well as a new internet cafe with games, is a complete loss.

"Our incomes are gone. We had put all our funds from both businesses together to get his up and running and it was just gone in a matter of minutes," explained Anita Hall, Harrell's fiancee who owns the insurance company next door.

The couple says they are trying to stay positive despite the damage. They are focusing on rebuilding and reopening.

"We are fighters, we were together when we started it, we were together when it burned down and we will be together when we reopen the doors again," said Harrell.

Members of the community are taking action to help the couple who have four children. A Go Fund Me page has been made for donations. Derl'z Restaurant in Suffolk is also holding a fundraiser for the couple. A Portsmouth woman is also giving a portion of her sales on corn hole bags to help the couple financially. She can be contacted at amhughes757@gmail.com.