NEDERLAND, Colo. (KDVR) — Business owners in Nederland are feeling the impacts of a fire that destroyed a shopping center on Thursday. Despite the tragedy, they say they are feeling the love from their community.
Claudia Schauffler, the property owner of the shopping center and a business owner, said she was ready to give it up.
“I can’t do this again, seriously,” Schauffler said.
Schauffler tells FOX31 that her clothing shop was one of the businesses impacted during the fire.
“It just broke my heart. It just really did,” Schauffler said.
Kay O’Neil was inside her stained glass shop when the fire occured. She immediately called 911 as she saw the flames through her favorite fish glass.
“They’re like, are you in the building? I’m like, uh, yeah. Get out of there!” O’Neil said.
While Schauffler and O’Neil had established businesses in the shopping center, Debbie Spaur was getting ready to fulfill a dream. She said she was planning to open a hair salon on the property.
“I finally got my sign in, installed a week ago,” said Spaur. “I didn’t get that chance.”
Spaur has long ties in Nederland, as her great-great-grandfather was Nederland’s first mayor.
“Everybody is so loving and so kind and so willing to help,” Spaur said.
The community has now come together to support Spaur, O’Neil and Schauffler, as thousands of dollars have already been raised across GoFundMe pages, along with spaces offered for them to work out of, as well.
Spaur, O’Neil and Schaufleer said that they are so grateful for the community rallying behind especially during this time.
“We’re definitely all here for each other, there’s no doubt about that,” Schauffler said.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
