Attleboro Gob Shop Begins Cleanup After Roof Collapse

It has been nearly two weeks since the owner of Ryan & Son’s Gob Shop in downtown Attleboro, Bob Ryan, got a call from police that the roof of his store had collapsed from the weight of heavy snow and ice.

Attleboro Building Inspector Doug Semple determined the structure was unsafe and blocked off access to the back of Ryan's store, which has been selling sports equipment and apparel for generations. 

On Wednesday, a crew from from W. R. Dunlap Inc. of Seekonk was busy removing material from the old and dilapidated roof and loading it into a dumpster in the back of Ryan’s store. It was the crew's second day of cleaning up. 

Begin Custom Design in North Attleboro is charged with reconstruction of the roof and South Coast Woodworkers will be tasked with the interior.

"We will collaborate on it together," South Coast Woodworkers Charlie Cataldo said. "Once this place is put together and water-tight I'll be back in to do all the interior and make it presentable for the public again."

The front of the store remains blocked off from the damaged area of the shop with plywood, but is still open for business according to Ryan, who said he is making the best of the situation.

Contractors were waiting for a dump truck to arrive late Wednesday afternoon to begin filling it with debris. The plan is to remove another section of the store’s roof that has been compromised by the collapse, according to Ryan. 

"Once it is cleaned up and done it will be all new for customers," Ryan said.