Natick Businesses Push Through The Ash After Devastating Fire

NATICK, MA — Natick's South Main Street was just as busy Wednesday as it usually is, cars zooming by. But the heart of Natick Center — the storefronts on South Main Street between West Central Street and Pond Street — were completely leveled, turned to ash. Two days after a devastating fire, remnants of the stores that once stood on the corner can be made out in the rubble. Shop owners nearby, lucky enough to stay standing, are preparing to reopen.

Nancy Kelley has been at the site of the fire, standing with the remains of her dance studio, since Monday.

"I don't even know where my head is at right now," Kelley said.

Her studio was an anchor in downtown Natick for 35 years. As she peeks through the chain fence separating her from the rubble, passing cars honked at her, drivers shouting from their windows, "We love you Nancy, you'll get through this, we're so sorry."

She waved at each passing car offering support — each thank you brought her closer to tears.

"It's tough, we'll all get through it," she said, her voice breaking as she hid tears behind her sunglasses. "We're strong. We'll get through all this."

Kelley salvaged a few mementos from the studio thanks to firefighters, whom she couldn't praise enough. Among the things that she was able to save were plaques and awards that once adorned the studio walls, recital costumes from the studio's production of the Wizard of Oz — although she's still searching for the lion, and her silver recital curtain.

"I bought that curtain with my hard earned money back in the 70s," Kelley laughed, reminiscing on the early days when the studio first opened.

She said she had packed the curtain away in a blue bin and duct taped it shut. When the firefighters pulled it out of the wreckage, the bin was warped and burned and she was sure the curtain was destroyed, "I opened it and it was untouched, I was amazed," she said. A three-part sign that once read "Nancy Kelley Dancers" was in the studio during the blaze as well. The "Nancy" portion of the sign was burned and destroyed but the "Kelley" sign may be salvageable. The "Dancers" sign sits proudly on top of the rubble, fully intact, almost as a reminder that the studio is not gone yet.

A small crowd of people joined Kelley as she sat on the sidewalk, pulling photos from the rubble, close enough to the fence for her to reach. Parents, friends and neighbors exchanged tearful memories of their daughters recitals or late-night rehearsals at The Nancy Kelley Dance Studio.

As painful as the last few days have been, Kelley said she's determined to find a new location. "We're looking for a spot to reopen the studio in the Natick or Framingham area," Kelley said, "I'm hoping to have classes start again in October, maybe late October."

As she sat on the sidewalk thumbing through burned and soggy photos, a yellow butterfly floated past her. "Did you see that," Kelley exclaimed, "That was yellow butterfly! That was my brother," she grinned. Kelley said she considers herself a spiritual person and the sight of a yellow butterfly has always reminded her of her late brother, who was killed by a drunk driver. As the butterfly made its way over the burned remains of the studio, Kelley took it as a sign that someone was watching over her.

Still standing

While the fire burned through eight stores leaving them uninhabitable, seven others on Pond Street survived, but not unscathed. Smoke and water damage closed the storefronts while insurance inspectors ducked in and out of the shops on Wednesday. Eversource said it disconnected the power to the stores on Pond Street until repairs are made and the Natick fire inspector deems the establishments safe. But store owners have stayed close by, hoping to open again within the next week.

Angela Hoit and Paul Stockley, employees at Bruno's Barber Shop, are thankful the shop is still standing but said closing for repairs and cleanup will set them back quite a bit. "We're losing a week's worth of business," Stockley said, "Customers going somewhere else and possibly never coming back." Bruno's suffered some water damage that has largely been cleaned and a smokey smell that employees are trying to clear — they're waiting on the power to return and hope to reopen next week.

Rosemary Wright, owner of Clip & Dip Dog Grooming said she's ready to get back into business once the smokey smell clears out. While the week closure may be a hit to business, Wright said what hurts more is that many residents think all the stores on Pond Street burned. "We just want people to know we're still here and we'll open again," she said.

For Cobbler Shop owner Oleg Abamelik, the scene seems like déjà vu. Eleven years ago, Abamelik's shop was caught in a similar devastating fire, just across the street from his current location — that fire burned his shop to the ground.

"This is my second fire," Abamelik said, "I'm lucky to just have smoke." His shop has some minor smoke damage but is otherwise okay.

Abamelik said when he got the call on Monday morning about a fire engulfing the strip, his heart stopped. "I just thought oh my god, not again, not me," he said. His store, Cobbler Shop West, has moved in three different locations, all around Natick Center. He's happy to be able to stay put now, but having survived a similar fire, he said his heart goes out to those store owners who lost their space.

Residents have already started to chatter about starting fundraisers and hosting events to help the store owners affected. While no events have been made official yet, the Natick Center Associates has established a relief fund to benefit those businesses destroyed by the devastating fire. People can donate online or make a check out to Natick Center Associates, P.O. Box 6284, Natick, MA 01760.