The inside of The Gallery is undergoing repairs due to a July 2022 fire that forced the business to close.
BY HANNAH GOLDFINGER
HGOLDFINGER@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
OPELIKA —
Debbie Purves, owner of The Gallery, suffered through a challenging situation a year ago when a fire at Maffia’s in downtown Opelika forced her from her space. But now, the business will move back into its newly renovated space in September.
The fire that devastated Maffia’s on July 21, 2022, did not only cause the Italian restaurant to go out of business, but closed the shops of two others — Southern Crossing and The Gallery.
Both were forced into new spaces due to smoke and water damage.
To read about Southern Crossing’s revitalization, see more on our website: www.opelikaobserver.com/impact-of-downtown-fire-one-year-later-part-one/.
The fire broke out in the early morning hours of July 21, but Purves said she didn’t know about it until about 6 a.m.
“Thankfully, I mean, it was a blessing I wasn’t up all night long worrying about it,” she said.
Purves and her husband received a text about the fire, though she said she didn’t realize there was damage to her store.
“It has been an ordeal, but really and truly, I know I may sound cheesy saying this and everything, but our town, and not just our town, but the entire community — this whole area — they are the most supportive people in the world,” she said. “They’re constantly checking to see how the progress is going and when we’re going to be back in [the store].”
Purves called Opelika a family community.
“My customers have just been the most accommodating people in the world; they have been so patient,” she said. “You know, they’ll come in and they’ll pick out their framing and they’ll say, ‘I know things are all messed up right now, just when you can get it done, let me know.’”
After the fire damage, The Gallery moved into the Eighth and Rail building, which is next door to the original space.
“It’s been challenging, but you put one foot in front of the next and get up the next morning and go to work,” Purves said.
There was no structural damage to the building, but it was mostly smoke damage, Purves said.
“Every single thing had to come out, I mean the sheetrock walls, all the carpeting … everything,” she said.
Following all the renovations, Purves said they hope to move back in in early September.
“There’s going to be a whole lot of new, fresh things to go with our brand new, fresh building, but we are maintaining the historic integrity of the building,” she said.
Purves said she hopes that others see this in Opelika and seek to maintain and love it, too.
“[Opelika] is pretty much my heart,” Purves said. “It’s my home. I mean, I’ve lived my whole life here.”
The goals for the future? “Bigger and Better,” Purves said. The business has been around for 43 years now.
“We’re fixing to be wide open again,” she said.
Visit The Gallery at its original location again soon — hopefully in September — at 809 S. Railroad Ave.
