Community reeling after fire
EAU CLAIRE — On Friday afternoon, a visibly distraught Patty Delisio dabbed tears from her eyes as she stared at the smoldering rubble left of her business, Delisio's Market.
The general store, which sold groceries, meals and other conveniences, burned down Thursday night. Family, friends and passers-by tried to console Delisio with encouraging words.
“It's not the end,” Melissa Shay told Delisio, hugging her tightly. “It's devastating right now, but I know you're going to make the right decision.”
Delisio's Market, previously called Thompson's Market and before that Beatty's Market, had been a mainstay in the community of about 300 for more than a century. Delisio and her husband, Tim, took the business over in July, after Gus and Marilyn Thompson had owned it for 30 years.
Several people spoke highly of the staff, the service and the variety of items available there.
“This is devastating for the entire community,” Shay said of Eau Claire. “I'm in shock.”
There aren't many places to eat or buy convenience items in the community. There is a business north of the borough and one south that will have some convenience items, but customers will likely pay more for the same items that Delisio's offered, Shay said.
Delisio of Cherry Valley said she would consider rebuilding the business, but she still is taking in what happened. The building was insured.
“I hated to see it happen, but at least no one got hurt,” said Gary Bowser, owner of Automotive Excellence, an automotive painting and detailing shop next door.
Firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to his business by spraying cold water on the walls.
Automotive Excellence was open Friday, but it did not have its electric restored until about noon.
“It'll definitely be missed. It was a neat little store,” Bowser said. “None of us can remember when it wasn't here.”
He and his employees as well as employees from Hunter's Truck Sales across the street bought lunch there just about every day.
Gus Thompson, who technically owns the three-story building, had an article of agreement with Delisio.
“In the past five years, we got it re-sided. Most of the equipment was pretty new,” Thompson said. “And to see it happen, it's disheartening, but nobody got hurt.”
The fire probably started in the basement, near electrical boxes and the furnace. However, the state fire marshal had not determined the cause of the fire as of Friday afternoon.
The fire broke out just after 9 p.m. Thursday. It was finally out about 1:30 a.m. Friday.
