Opportunity Village razes store gutted by fire

Demolition work began Wednesday on Opportunity Village's Main Street thrift store, which was gutted by fire last year.

Officials of the charity still are brainstorming about what to do with the property, however.

One reason is because a temporary location for the thrift store, which is one of several Opportunity Village endeavors, is thriving.

"It's actually doing extremely well," spokesman Stephen Miller said of the new address at 4600 Meadows Lane, at the intersection with Decatur Boulevard. "I think the daily average is up about 35 percent, so that gives us something to think about."

A new Cardenas grocery store is in the same shopping center, which also has lots of parking, and the address is centrally located and near a highway exit.

Still, the Main Street location has been the store's home for a long time, Miller noted. Opportunity Village owns that property, and it was insured.

There are no firm plans yet for rebuilding. Ideas include some kind of multistory building with amenities such as an art gallery, a coffee shop or bookstore to add something to the Arts District, where the Main Street property is located.

"Those are some of the basic ideas we're kicking around," Miller said. "Something to make it more than a thrift store."

There are 18 months left on the two-year lease signed on the Meadows location, and the charity members plan to make the necessary decisions well before that deadline, Miller said.

Whatever they do, they will be asking for the public's help to rebuild or stay at the temporary location.

"Even if we decide to purchase the building where the thrift store is now, we'll have to do a campaign for that," said Miller.

Opportunity Village provides vocational training, jobs and recreation for people with intellectual disabilities.

No one was injured in the July fire, and fire investigators were not able to pinpoint a cause.

Contact reporter Alan Choate at achoate@reviewjournal.com or 702-229-6435.