SEATTLE — A staple produce store in Seattle caught fire and damaged around $50,000 worth of items. The owner is searching for answers amid all of the burnt rubble.
INVESTIGATION:
A spokesperson for the Seattle Fire Department said firefighters received 911 calls about a commercial building on 15th Avenue Northeast catching fire on Friday, February 9, at about 3:10 a.m.
The fire left the front side of Rising Sun Produce charred and burnt rubble on the ground.
Firefighters were able to put out a small fire, involving a stack of cardboard, which had extended to a loading dock.
No injuries were reported.
Fire officials said the cause of the fire is undetermined.
KIRO 7 reached out to the Seattle Police Department to get further details.
A spokesperson said his team is investigating the case as a possible reckless fire.
RISING SUN PRODUCE:
KIRO 7 spoke with Virgil Goodwin the Second, who often goes by “Bud,” the owner of the produce store.
Goodwin opened the business in 1979 and sells local produce to his customers.
No one was inside the building during the fire, he said.
“Shocked,” he said. “Just shocked. Every once in a while it becomes overwhelming. So you just have to go in a corner and cry and cry. It becomes overwhelming.”
Goodwin showed KIRO 7 the damage left inside his business.
The fire destroyed a portion of his building and left most of his produce and products covered in soot.
“That hurts,” he said. “It hurts. It really does. I would love to donate it away, but it’s soot-covered.”
He continued, “I don’t like to throw things away. People go hungry. People go hungry. There’s no reason to waste food. It should be used. This is why I’m in this business.”
Goodwin said the fire damaged roughly $50,000 worth of items, which does not include the damage to the building he leases.
And one day after the tragic fire, Goodwin faced another obstacle.
He said someone broke into his business on Saturday morning and stole some change and half a roll of stamps while making a mess inside.
“It kind of destroys your faith in humanity,” he said.
But that faith was restored when he was met with massive support from the community.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT:
As of Wednesday evening, people have raised more than $30,000 to help Goodwin keep his business alive.
He also received some love on Valentine’s Day after people had left messages on his building.
Some messages wrote: “Your sun is rising again. Your neighbors will help on Valentine’s Day and after.”
“Much love for you all. We can’t wait for your grand return,” a person wrote on a piece of paper.
“Please rise up like a phoenix from the flames,” another message wrote.
Moments later, KIRO 7 met a woman who had arrived at the produce store on Wednesday.
Kathleen Fearn-Banks has been a customer since 2000 and often shops at the produce store.
“I’ve gotten to know them,” she said. “It’s part of my life. The people that work for him, just so very nice.”
Fearn-Banks said she accidentally crashed into a fence on Goodwin’s property in the past, but Goodwin refused to accept her payment to fix the damage.
Now, she’s repaying the support.
“I came by to see if I could just write him a check somewhere,” she said. That’s why I came here right now.”
She continued, “You have to support your neighbors when they support you. This is absolutely necessary. He’s a great guy and the business is necessary. I just hope it can get back real soon.”
Carolyn Kyle, who has been shopping at the produce store since 1979, also arrived at the produce store to check on Goodwin.
“It is community and their service goes beyond food generosity,” she said. “When the teachers were on strike and they gathered at Roosevelt High School, they (Rising Sun Produce) were the folks that allowed the picket line folks to come in and use the restroom, get water, all sorts of that generosity.”
She continued, “Through generosity and the kindness of the people who work there, the commitment to community. I see toddlers come in from daycare and they have their little baskets and they go through in and get to pick out produce. And what do they do? They donate it to the food bank. There are generations that benefit from the family that owns this incredible local business.”
Andrew Titus, who lives near the business, said the produce store is a place where many neighbors often shop to find community.
“When we go shopping, we run into our neighbors there,” he said.
He also said shopping local is important to his family.
“It’s pretty important,” he said. “There’s not a lot of local businesses, particularly grocery markets, available, and places to get food like that that is local anymore. So it’s very nice to have that.”
Jenny Gerstorff, co-owner of Ravenna Rocks, also shared her support:
The loss of Rising Sun Produce has left a profound void in our neighborhood and our hearts. It was more than just convenience store, it was a cornerstone of our community – providing fresh produce and a variety of locally sourced groceries within easy reach of our home and our business. Josh and I, owners of the Ravenna Rocks crystal shop nearby, were regular patrons, drawn not by the quality of products and reasonable prices, but also by the genuine warmth of the owners and employees who made every visit feel welcomed.
Witnessing the outpouring of support for the Rising Sun has been truly inspiring. In an effort to bolster this support, we pledged to match donations made to their GoFundMe page until 9 p.m. on Monday evening. After only a few hours of release, donations totaled over $5,000! With our match, the fundraiser had made it to $11,000 within that first day. We are heartened to see it continue to rise toward their $45,000 goal to bridge the gap left by the loss.
LOOKING FORWARD:
Goodwin told KIRO 7 that he plans to meet with the landlord and a fire restoration company on Thursday to discuss the next steps.
He’s currently filing paperwork for insurance.
There is currently no timetable for when the produce store will reopen. However, Goodwin said he hopes to plan an event in his parking lot for the community to show his gratitude for their support.
A GoFundMe has been created to help Goodwin’s business during this difficult time. If you’d like to help, please click here.