Butternut Market Fire: “It’s A Set Back For The Set Up”

It’s not as bad as it could have been.  One week later after a top floor fire caused some damage to the ground floor of the soon Butternut Market (307 Stuyvesant Avenue at Halsey Street), business partners Ardenia Brown and Alexia Billart are counting their blessings.  ”We thank God that no one was hurt in the fire, but it truly could have been worse if we were set up and our equipment and food could have been destroyed,” Ardenia reports.  ”We’re still moving forward with the renovations.  We did have water damage and smoke damage, which insurance will cover that.  It’s a set back, but it’s only a set back for the set up.”

Incidents such as this prove that having a small or new business in Bed-Stuy or any other neighborhood is filled with challenges.  Unfortunately, the fire has delayed the plan to open next month.  ”It’s going to kick us back a couple of weeks, but we plan to be open this summer.  We can’t give a date right now because we have to wait on the inspection.  We are moving forward.”  Ardenia and Alexia say they are aware of the community’s needs and they are continuing to see this through.