Aggie's Country Market owners lose shop and home in fire: "It was my life"

The owner of Aggie's Country Market says she, her husband and their three dogs are lucky to be alive after a fire ripped through the store on Monday morning. 

Around 6:30 a.m., flames engulfed Aggie's Country Market in Loyalhanna Township. The beloved convenience store is run by Gloria Tallerico, aka Aggie, and her husband Bill Shoemaker, and the fire took out not just the market, but their home. 

"What has the last 24 hours been like for you?" asked KDKA's Chris DeRose.

"It's been hard," said Tallerico. "I've been here 10 years, and we just celebrated our 10-year anniversary with the community and everybody. Aggie's wasn't just a hoagie shop though, I lived upstairs. It was my home. All my life was up there and downstairs. So, it was my life."

The couple and their dogs, Rocco, Roxy and Connor, were home when the blaze began. And thanks to smoke detectors, all were able to make it out safely. While it is not known what caused the fire, an investigation is underway.

Tallerico says they are not sure where to go from here, or what can be saved, salvaged and rebuilt. But for now, the family is living inside their bait shop next door, brokenhearted but thankful to be alive.

Last night, Tallerico typed out a letter of gratitude to both their community and all the first responders who came to their aid. She says she can't say thank you enough to everyone for all the love and support they've given. 

"The community, friends, family have been awesome," Tallerico said. "I don't even know the words I can tell you, but they have been terrific. The love they have sent me has been wonderful."

Tallerico says that despite living in their bait shop, it is still open for business and for now, they are just going to take things day by day while they work to put their lives back together.