BY HANNAH GOLDFINGER
HGOLDFINGER@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
OPELIKA —
It’s been one year since a fire that started at Maffia’s in downtown Opelika destroyed the business and others surrounding it.
The fire started in the middle of the night on July 21, 2022.
The popular and recently reopened business was completely gone by morning.
But Maffia’s was not the only business that suffered. Because the fire had to be fought from neighboring businesses, The Gallery on Railroad and Southern Crossings both experienced extreme damage.
Valerie Smith, co-owner of Southern Crossings, said that she and her husband Mike, woke in the middle of the night to 60-plus messages and a photo of a blaze.
“We just threw on, literally just threw on clothes and left the house and headed toward Opelika,” she said.
Before arriving on scene, they called the fire department, which told them to ask for Fire Chief Shane Boyd.
“He and several of the firefighters, they were just remarkable and looking back, that’s what stands out the most was their kindness and their compassion,” Smith said.
Smith said she was in shock a bit and didn’t realize the extent of the damage.
“Chief Boyd had to tell me about three times, that ‘total loss,’” she said. “… I just remember standing there in shock and just thinking about ‘that’s our livelihood in there.’”
One of the more difficult losses was the antiques and vintage items that Smith handpicked, she said.
One year later and Southern Crossings is located nearby — on 8th Street.
Opelika Main Street opened a business incubator on main street next to Zazu’s. Southern Crossings is currently in this space.
Smith said they were encouraged by the support from the Opelika community as they surveyed their loss.
“I can’t say enough about all of the people who reached out and took care of us and the community offered to do anything they could,” Smith said.
Even competitors reached out, she said, offering help and storage.
“It’s a wave of emotions, you’re in shock, and you’re hurt, and you’re sad and grieving, but then you’re also grateful and then you realize what your business meant to so many people and that was just amazing to me,” she said.
Despite all of the support, Southern Crossings has had a lot of trouble getting back on its feet.
“It’s been a real struggle,” Smith said. “Honestly, I don’t know that we’re going to survive it.”
The parking on 8th Street is different, a lot of customers don’t know where the new location is, the financial losses are still being worked out, she said.
Southern Crossings also won’t be moving back into its original space, Smith said.
Despite all of this, Smith said they value all their customers.
“We appreciate them following us over here and all of their support,” she said. “That’s always been the most important thing to us are our customers and always will be. We value their loyalty and wouldn’t be where we are, right now, wouldn’t have come back at all without them.”
Deke Hilyer, the owner of the building that housed Southern Crossing said that he has the utmost respect for the fire department and all the first responders that helped contain the fire.
“The fire department did an outstanding job that night,” Hilyer said. “The fact that the fire was contained as well as it was, is a testament to their efforts and their training.”
As for the building, Hilyer is currently renovating it.
“I am using this time to repair the space and to bring it back to its formal glory,” Hilyer said.
Part two of this story will focus on The Gallery.
