Fire Damaged Store To Reopen
By: Kevin Flanigan
Updated: March 7, 2013
It has been a long road back for the owners of the T & R Used Furniture Store in Altoona. A huge fire last year left the business in ruins. It was in May of last year that Altoona Firefighters were called to the 19 hundred block of 8th Avenue for a devastating fire that almost destroyed a business
The commercial fire was a difficult one to battle because the multi story brick building was more than 100 years old. By the time the blaze was out, the first floor used furniture store was flooded and most of the uninsured inventory was destroyed.
It has taken a lot of work, but now "T and R Used Furniture" is about to reopen. The owner says the business offers services important in its city neighborhood. The business was closed for several months because the building had to be gutted and rebuilt from a new concrete floor up. There were also insurance issues to be settled and city regulations that had to be followed.
This business also buys local estates and handles all sorts of used merchandise so it has developed plenty of loyal customers who are anxious to have it open again. Owners of the business say they are glad to finally be able reopen the building because they feel they provide a valuable service to the community.
The owner says the used furniture business supports the Blair County Community Action Agency and other groups that help people facing emergency needs. T & R Used Furniture at 1912 Eighth Avenue will reopen to the public on Saturday, March 9th and will be open Monday through Saturday 10 am to 6 pm. A second location is located at 1300 Pleasant Valley Boulevard.


