NATICK, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Store owners who survived the eight-alarm fire in Natick just over two weeks ago are trying to get the word out that they're open for business.
Eight businesses were lost in the fire on South Main Street, which started in the basement of the King Wok Chinese Restaurant.
On the corner, there was rubble and utter destruction—but if you go down the street a bit further, seven stores remain standing, despite some damage.
Rosemary Wright, owner of Clip & Dip, says she's lucky her business suffered only relatively minor damage.
"I have to replace the ceiling because the smoke stays up in the ceiling tiles, so they're going to take the ceiling out," she said.
But she's still taking clients. The problem is, not everyone thinks her business or the others on Pond Street, off of South Main Street, are even open.
"We were meant to be here, so no one can take us down!" she said. "We just have to let people know that we are here, and ready to do business."
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Wright, rocking a Natick Strong baseball cap, said she and other owners are here to stay.
Those owners include Hollie Luber, who runs La Creme Salon.
"We had some heat damage, water damage in the basement, smoke damage—so we had to replace a lot of stuff," Luber said.
But the salon is still in operation, as is Bruno's Barbershop next door, says owner Antonia DeMasi.
"Every day I wake up and I can collectively speak for all of us here, how lucky we are that this building was saved," Demasi said.
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WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas (@JamesRojasWBZ) reports