Bloomfield Businesses Continue Long Road To Recovery After Fire

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — A fundraiser event in Bloomfield will help some of the township’s “landmark” businesses recover from a devastating fire that ravaged a commercial building last month.

Members of the Bloomfield Township Council and the Bloomfield Center Alliance are asking members of the public to pitch in at a fundraiser on Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Essex Junction, 90 Washington Street in Bloomfield.

Wednesday’s event has a suggested donation of $25. Checks can be made payable to BCA Disaster Relief Fund.

The fire took place on Jan. 21 at a building at 55 Washington Street. Nobody was injured, but the conflagration left several local businesses without a home and their employees with uncertain futures.

"We never in our minds thought this would happen two weeks prior to the grand opening," the heartbroken owners of Samadhi Yoga said. "Our hearts feel heavy with sadness as we see our dreams and hopes vanish.

• See related article: 'Dreams, Hopes Vanish' In Bloomfield Fire; Victims Plead For Help

According to a statement from Bloomfield Township, the fire rendered the building “structurally unstable.” As such, the tenants – Roxy’s Florist, Heavenly Bites and Heavenly Flavors, Salvatore T. Alfano, PA, Fusella Counselors at Law, Kolby’s Place Barber Shop, Winfield Security and Bloomfield Center Alliance – will not be able to reestablish their businesses in the structure for a yet-to-be-determined time, as the building will need to be thoroughly repaired or demolished.

“Many of the businesses affected by the fire last month, including Roxy’s Florist, are Bloomfield landmarks, and thousands of residents have fond memories of these stores, and the shop owners,” Mayor Michael Venezia said.

“I invite members of the public to join us at Essex Junction to get to know our local business owners, and pitch in as they begin to plan for the future,” Venezia said.

Councilwoman Wartyna Davis said that though the landlord and the business owners affected by the fire are partially protected by insurance, the recovery process may be difficult.

“The mayor, myself and Bloomfield Center Alliance Executive Director Ollyn Lettman are proud to sponsor an event supporting downtown businesses’ recovery efforts, and we encourage all residents to attend this Wednesday,” Davis said.

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