Help VACATION recover from a shop fire

Hi, I’m Kristin, I own VACATION.

VACATION has ridden the wave of trials and tribulations of being a small biz since 2012 in SF. With all the ups and downs, we have never asked for financial support before.

On April 10th, I left town for a month and a half long buying trip. It’s half working holiday (the thrill of finding and rescuing old stuff), half reminder to not let your business completely consume you, and to take some time in this short life for adventure. I work all the time. Imagine leaving town with that as your goal and then your shop catches on fire.

On April 17th, asleep in bed in Kodaka, South Dakota, my shop's security alarm went off. I woke up to the alarm phone call that my store was on fire. The security cameras were so smoky I could only see flashlights and the reflective vests of SFFD. This is my actual worst nightmare.

My first thought was - I hope it hasn’t spread to the building and no one is hurt. My second thought - call Karlie - NOW and ask her to please RUN to the shop. My third thought was - what will I do from here, 2000 miles away, if it’s all gone? And how can I ever fix this from so far away? And what’s the fastest way to get home from the middle of nowhere? And then I started to cry. If we don’t have inventory, we don’t have a shop. And if we don’t have a shop, that’s 6 people without a job. Imagining that all the old things I’ve personally picked out for a whole store - they lived this long only to burn up - taking my whole magical Vacation with it. All the memories of 13 years. Gone?

Our North Beach neighbors have come to our rescue. Turns out the fire was stopped almost as soon as it started because three people called 911. S&S grocery, our neighbors, saved the day. Thank you to the other 2 folks that also called in - I don’t know who you are, but thank you.

The light fixture in the dressing room caught fire, and the plastic fixture slowly burned, dropping to the floor and burning a rug that was over tile. That old rug and that old light fixture saved us. Slow-burning wool and melting plastic make a lot of soot and smoke, but the fire didn’t (thank god) jump to the curtains. But it made a ton of smoke, and the neighbors saw it.

We got so lucky. There was soot and smoke damage everywhere, and a big black hole on the floor. We really got so lucky.

Since the second I called her, Karlie, my shop's manager - but probably more one of the dearest people in my life - has been taking care of it. “KK, don’t come home, there’s nothing you can do here that we can’t. Stay on your trip, we can fix it.” I didn’t come home because I knew she was right. She’s been spearheading this operation. She dealt with the firemen. She thanked the neighbors. She organized a plan of action, a cleanup crew, supplies. She’s FaceTiming me and calming me down, and well, she’s a hero. We have another hero - Riley - another earth angel here at Vacation. These two haven’t stopped since the fire. Quite possibly the best attitude and enthusiasm, and let me tell you guys - I can’t imagine a world without both of them. ‘Employees’ aren’t supposed to care this much. I don’t even have the right words for the gratitude I have for them, and I don’t have enough money to pay them what they deserve for this.

I am realizing that a credit card should not be used as an insurance policy - and that an insurance policy doesn’t work for what it’s supposed to. After calls and some basic math, it will end up costing more to file a claim. That system is completely broken.

I need to pay my employees extra for their time and effort.

I need to pay some of the volunteers that have put in 10+ hours each.

I rented ‘air scrubbers’ for 4 days.

No shop income for 4 days and counting (this is major).

Cleaning supplies + cleanup solutions and tools + laundry detergents and smoke clearing solutions.

Dry cleaning for all inventory that can’t be washed (that’s all the antique and true vintage pieces, all our silks, all our antique quilts and textiles).

Repainting the shop + supplies to paint.

Replacing the door frame SFFD had to break to enter.

Unbelievable amount of laundry.

The outpouring from the community has repeatedly brought me to tears. Feeling so helpless and out of control, and then miraculously things are under control - everyone is safe, my staff will still have jobs, my shop will stay open. Guilt for not being there every single second, and I’m proud of myself for letting go, a huge step, and letting someone else take the reins. That’s exactly the lesson I left on this trip to learn, although I would have appreciated a less stressful method to learn it!!

I've had about 20 people offer to make a GoFundMe for us and decided today to do it.

Thank you to everyone that’s shown up - we’ve had an overwhelming amount of people donate time, leaf blowers, quarters for laundry, pizzas, water, beer, encouragement. It’s humbling and it’s awesome. We really all do take care of each other.Thank you everyone that has helped, and can help, and sent words of support and encouragement and well wishes.

It’s incredible ❤️ To see that Vacation is beyond me, that it’s a thing that means so much to so many people, I can’t believe I get to be a part of that with you all.

Love from the road,

Kristin