"They feel like the mom and dad of the borough:" Community rallies after fire at Verona hardware shop
VERONA (KDKA) - One day after a fire engulfed a decades-old Verona hardware shop, a tight-knit community is reflecting.
For more than 65 years, Eiler's Hardware has remained a staple in the borough, 45 years at its current location on Center Avenue. Now when you look at the storefront, all you see is damage left behind from a fire Wednesday night.
Mom and Dad are who Dave and Sue Eiler are to the people of Verona. Through the decades, the owners of their namesake hardware shop, have been family to their customers, including Patty Thomas.
"They feel like the mom and dad of the borough," Thomas said. "This is a small town, everybody knows everybody, and these people have been here forever, and they are well loved."
It's hard for her to imagine the borough without them, but it's all she could think about when she stopped by Thursday morning.
"Everyone's very depressed," Thomas said.
Less than 24 hours earlier, flames shot out of the building that houses four apartments and the local masonic hall.
Verona Fire Chief Dan Tihey said they were called to the scene about 6:15 p.m.
When they arrived, they found heavy smoke and fire coming from the basement, where the business stores its products. It took them about an hour to get the flames under control in the building that's stood there since 1909, which also houses four apartments and the local masonic hall.
Tihey said the fire started a little more than an hour after the shop closed.
Thankfully, no one was hurt, and Tihey said the building is salvageable. However, five people are displaced and the contents inside the basement and the shop on the first floor are destroyed.
Mayor Dave Ricupero said he hopes the Eilers continue.
"The Eilers are very good people. They help everybody," Ricupero said.
Longtime customer, Butch Stotler said the owners have hinted at retirement in conversation.
"He didn't know how to quit," Stotler said. "This isn't the way they wanted to do it."
Unfortunately, now may be that time.
"I just don't want them to go, but I have a feeling they're going to go," Thomas said.
Building manager, John Colaianne said he plans to fix the apartments and the hall, but the future of the hardware shop is unclear.
A cause remains under investigation.
Tihey said the American Red Cross is assisting at least three people with housing.
