Chester County community wants to bring back the heart of downtown after devastating September fire
OXFORD, Pa. (CBS) -- A small community in Chester County is working on rebuilding after a devastating fire ruined several buildings in September.
A large pile of rubble and debris is all that's left of a historic downtown area in Oxford where Laura and Randy Grace's comic book store once stood.
"We finally got the shop where we wanted it right before it happened," Randy Grace of The Maroon Hornet Comics & Collectibles said. "So it's hard, it's hard to see it but we'll get there again."
Less than two months later and with the help of the community, the two have now found a new home for their collectibles and superhero memorabilia just down the street. The majority of their inventory was destroyed but thankfully a life-sized staple of the shop was recovered by firefighters.
"I turned the corner and there was Spider-Man," Laura Grace said. "They carried Spider-Man out for us."
Aside from just small businesses being impacted, the Neighborhood Services Center said out of the 24 families that lost their homes, just one of them is still in need of a home.
"It's a recovery period but it made me feel how wonderful it is to be in Oxford," Leandria Hall, Neighborhood Services Center program director, said.
The U.S. Small Business Administration is in the area offering financial options to renters, homeowners, and businesses in both English and Spanish.
Some of those impacted families lived in buildings managed by Donna Marchand.
"Hopefully they will have a fresh start and start making new memories where they are," Marchand said.
"We are still taking care of each other and now we're discussing what's next?" Julia Ehrhardt, Oxford Mainstreet Inc., said.
Regardless of what comes next, the Oxford community is ready to take it on together.
"It's very important that we bring back the businesses and the residents and bring back the heart of downtown," Randy Grace said.
