Help Rebuild Indigo After the Fire

Friday, January 12th at 7:45 AM, I unlocked the front door to my small business as usual. It was unusually dark inside which confused me. I took a couple of steps in, immediately started coughing, and realized the entire building was full of thick black smoke. My spa, Indigo Wellness, was on fire! As the fire brigade showed up and started to clear the area, my mind remained in a fog: I couldn't believe this was happening and I was so incredibly grateful no one was hurt.

It’s been nearly two weeks and I am no closer to reopening my doors than the day it happened. I've spent many days laying in bed, crying my eyes out and grieving the loss of everything I have worked for over the past 15 years. Then I rallied for myself, my family and for my staff, and began the arduous task of filling out reports, claims and piles of paperwork. It's going to be a long road back.

HOW DID THE FIRE START?

Fortunately, the fire was not caused by any fault of ours. According to the Fire Chief, hot dryer sheets were placed into the laundry basket and spontaneously combusted overnight. This may have been due to the presence of essential oil residue. Please spread the word to always allow your hot laundry to air out before placing it in a basket and avoid leaving it overnight.

HOW MUCH DAMAGE WAS THERE?

The fire destroyed our laundry/break room, washer, dryer, doors and walls. The flames eventually extinguished on their own but smoldered heavily for hours, coating the entire spa with thick, black soot. Insurance has deemed it a Complete Loss.

SO, WON'T INSURANCE COVER EVERYTHING?

Short answer: NO. Not by a long shot. I have incredible liability insurance in the event that someone is injured or hurt for any reason. However, I never anticipated laundry basket spontaneous combustion. My policy's fire coverage is nowhere close to what is needed to reopen. In addition, my lease states that I am responsible for 100% of what occurs within those walls. Not only am I responsible for the contents inside, but I am also responsible for rebuilding the 11 walls that insurance has ordered to be torn down, the ceiling, all the electrical and the HVAC.

WHEN WILL YOU REOPEN?

Every time I speak to my insurance company the opening date gets pushed farther and farther away. The first quote was a month. The second quote was two months, and the last quote from Insurance was 4 months. Truly devastating for our business, our clients and especially our staff.

We are currently working on setting up a temporary space to meet with our clients as effectively as possible. I will be sending out a newsletter shortly with the address of the interim location, which is less than five minutes away from our current location. Alternatively, you can always check our IG/Facebook page for any updates.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

It's always been difficult for me to ask for help but I'm beginning to understand that I can't restore the spa without your support. Both financial and emotional support are crucial. Moreover, I would appreciate any suggestions you may have on how to navigate the necessary mess that is insurance claims and procedures.

You can also help by donating your time. FRIDAY MORNING 1030AM (Jan 26) I’m having a cleaning party! If you would like to stop by anytime throughout the day and help us wipe away soot and tears, I would be forever grateful. The more "we" can do together, the further the dollars will stretch and I need every dollar I can save to reopen.

GRATITUDE

I stopped by the spa this morning and stood in my treatment room noticing a small rock on the side table inscribed with the word GRATITUDE. Although it had always been there, it never held as much power as it did in that moment. The rock reminded me that I have so much to be grateful for. No one was physically injured and This is the greatest blessing of all.

I am truly honored by all of the love the neighborhood has shown me. I share your desire to continue being a vital cornerstone of Kirkwood and hope that together we can make that happen.

25% of all funds raised will be designated to support our staff members while they are out of work. If our donations outshine our needs, the remaining amount will be donated to KBOA and KNO organizations to assist the next person in need.

One thousand thanks for hearing my story and helping us rebuild Indigo Wellness!