Lynden begins to recover from fire

DANNY GAWLOWSKI | DANNY GAWLOWSKI THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

• SEE PHOTOS, VIDEO OF FIRE
  
  Staff photographers, Herald readers and regional TV stations converged on the Delft Square shopping mall June 9 when a catastrosphic fire broke out. Click on the links below to see the result.

  • Gallery: Fire destroys Delft Square
  • Gallery: Readers' photos
  • Gallery: The aftermath
  • Video: Raw footage from KOMO-TV
• Lynden business owners learn from disaster
• Readers share memories of Lynden Department Store

"Something like this forces you to re-evaluate life, and I came to the realization that everything that really matters was OK," said Parriera, who has owned the business for 24 years. "No one was hurt or killed and this community has been wonderful. The support and calls we've received from the community have been amazing; the closeness is the reason why we've lived here."

Two teens were arrested and charged with first-degree reckless burning and second-degree burglary in connection with the fire. Both pleaded not guilty to the charges last week. Lynden Fire Chief Gary Baar said damage to the building is estimated at more than $2 million and damages to the contents were estimated to be in the millions.

The business next door, Carol's Hallmark, and the companies in the Delft Square building haven't been as fortunate as The Dresser Drawer. By the end of the week business owners still hadn't been allowed in the building to assess damage because the structure is considered unsound. Several tenants had been told that they may possibly be able to enter sometime this week for a short period.

Lar's Clocks & Antiques was in Delft Square, and owner Larry Harriman hasn't had a chance to even retrieve tools so he can go out on service calls. He's working out of his home in the county.

"It's been very frustrating. I understand they want to be safe, but the waiting has been emotional because there have been some fine antiques in there, things I bought more than 40 years ago, that I want to check on," Harriman said.

Carol Preston of Carol's Hallmark already knows the state of her inventory. Everything was damaged or destroyed, from the thousands of cards down to the fixtures. By Wednesday afternoon they were awaiting word on the common wall her building shares with Delft Square before starting the rebuilding process. She pondered whether it was worth starting over, and she decided to move forward.

"It would have felt like I was giving up, and I didn't want to do that," said Preston, who has run the business for 28 years and is the only Gold Crown Hallmark store in Whatcom County. "I'm not sure when we'll be open again, but it'll all be brand new when we do."

Nearly two weeks after the fire, an emotional toll is still being felt. Stan Pilon moved his company, Quality First Escrow Inc., into Delft Square in February and was still in start-up mode when the fire hit. He is thankful that no one was hurt, but it still keeps him up some nights.

"I've never been through a fire before; I have nights where I wake up with my mind constantly going, wondering about things like what I did lose and where I will go next," Pilon said. "My heart also goes out to the other tenants, because there are several of them that have lost a lot more than I did."

WHAT'S NEXT

Helping the businesses get back on their feet has happened with varying degrees of success. Gary Vis, executive director at the Lynden Chamber of Commerce, said they've been busy trying to help displaced businesses find temporary spaces. The most challenging has been for The Loft restaurant, which serves Japanese cuisine.

"It's tough to find an empty space that has a full-service kitchen that's up to code," Vis said. "We'll continue to work with property owners, but that one is pretty difficult. That restaurant had quite a following."

Harriman is still pondering his next move. While waiting to see what he has left, he is doing what he can, such as working on other clocks.

"There have to be reasons for why things like this happen, and maybe for me it's to do something different," Harriman said. "I'll wait and see what happens."

The chamber also has activated its Our Town Foundation, where people can make contributions. All of the money raised will be split among the business owners who need it. It is also organizing work parties when businesses are ready to move and trying to keep people updated through its Web site, www.lynden.org.

"A lot of the work ahead will require muscle, and nothing says they are willing to help more than having people standing at the door," Vis said. "It's been mind boggling watching Lynden and the county come together.

Whenever we needed something, we'd call a business and they would say they were on their way over. We must have had $1,000 worth of food for the firefighters from businesses."

The goodwill is needed as the downtown core begins to recover. Although the fire was contained to one building with damage done to one other, the entire downtown area has suffered, said Joel Kok, an insurance agent at Snapper Shuler Kenner insurance.

"It's really hurt Lynden, and a lot of people are not only feeling sorry for the businesses, but for the kids involved and their parents," Kok said. "Many are grateful, because it could have been much worse."

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