Community Supporting Impacted Businesses After Bedford Street Fire
The Devastating Blaze Started Early Last Friday
STAMFORD — On Friday, March 7, a fire destroyed a handful of downtown businesses near the corner of Bedford Street and Spring Street. Now, the Stamford community is coming together to help the people impacted.
The Stamford Fire Department responded to an activated fire alarm at 4:45 am. According to the Stamford Fire Department, the businesses affected include women’s clothing shop Whim; alteration, dressmaking, alteration, and tailoring store Atelier Valoar Couture; the Women’s Business Development Council; French restaurant Chez Vous Bistro; and U & I Deco Fine Arts & Framing. It was later determined that SHIRO Dessert, a restaurant serving Asian treats, was also harmed by the fire.
“Two Firefighters suffered minor injuries and were treated and released from a medical evaluation,” a Fire Department press release stated. “The fire was declared under control at 06:51 and is now being investigated for cause and origin by the Stamford Fire Marshal’s Office.”
While their Bedford Street location is being repaired, Atelier Valoar Couture posted on Instagram that they are working out of a temporary space on Spring Street.
The owners of Chez Vous Bistro posted on Facebook, in part acknowledging some of the many individuals who stepped up to help them in the aftermath of the fire.
“Shell-shocked and devastated. We woke up early this morning to the awful news.
We will be closed indefinitely, BUT we will REBUILD.
We have poured our hearts and souls into creating Chez Vous, a gathering place for our friends, family and community. We hold too many happy memories of our incredible patrons (with most of them becoming like family to us) to throw in the towel.
We would like to thank the amazing #stamfordpolice & the #stamfordfiredepartment (with the assistance of #greenwichfiredepartment and #norwalkfiredepartment) for their dedication and hard work in getting the fire under control. And a big ‘Thank you’ to #HopAndVine Stamford (who allowed us to use their facilities to recover), #mayorcarolinesimmons (and her staff) who came to check on us and offer their support, Giovanni of #Capriccio for comforting us with his lovely coffee.. to everyone else who came this morning to personally offer their help.
To the countless friends & family who called us, sent us messages of support and outpouring of love, we are glad we can count on you. This won’t break us.
It takes a village but we will rebuild, and hope to open again soon.”
The Women’s Business Development Council provided an update on social media after the fire.
“The building housing the WBDC office in Stamford was significantly damaged by fire overnight. Fortunately, no one was in the office at the time. We are thankful for the first responders and are assessing the extent of the damage now. We remain committed to our mission to support entrepreneurs across the state and will provide updates as we learn more.
As we approach our third decade of service to the women entrepreneurs of Connecticut, we are reminded that resilience is at the heart of every small business journey. Throughout our history, we have empowered women to push forward in the face of adversity, to turn challenges into opportunities, and to come back stronger than before. Now, we have the chance to live those lessons ourselves.
Our systems are in place and we are open for business. Please don’t hesitate to reach out. As always, we can be reached at 203-353-1750 or info@ctwbdc.org.”
U & I Deco Fine Arts & Framing shared an update on Facebook as well.
“Dear Customers and Friends,
On March 7, our store suffered extensive water damage due to a fire at a neighboring restaurant. While we are grateful that no one was hurt, the damage has forced us to temporarily close as we search for a new location to continue serving our valued customers.
We truly appreciate your patience, support, and encouragement during this challenging time. A heartfelt thank you to Ismael Franqui for setting up a GoFundMe page to assist us—we are incredibly grateful for the kindness and generosity of our community.
With gratitude,
U &I Deco Fine Arts & Framing”
How to Help
Most of the impacted businesses have begun crowdsourcing financial support from donors.
A GoFundMe fundraiser was established here to support Chez Vous Bistro’s recovery efforts. They have already received $18,808, which is 19% of their $100,000 goal.
The GoFundMe page for U & I Deco Fine Arts & Framing mentioned in their Facebook post is available here. So far, it has raised $7,905, almost 40% of their $20,000 goal.
Similarly, a GoFundMe fundraiser can be found here to support Atelier Valoar Couture. To date, they have received $1,803 in donations.
There is also a GoFundMe page set up here to help SHIRO Dessert after the fire. They have raised $1,079, about 1% of their $80,000 goal.
Community Reaction
In response to the blaze, local officials and community organizations reacted with words of support.
“I want to commend the Stamford Fire Department for their swift action in containing the four-alarm fire this morning on Bedford Street. I am heartbroken for the businesses that have been impacted but relieved that there were no injuries or lives lost,” Mayor Caroline Simmons said in a Facebook post. “The City will work closely with the business owners, Stamford Downtown, and the Stamford Chamber of Commerce to provide support, resources, and any necessary assistance to help them through this challenging time.”
The Stamford Chamber of Commerce’s Todd Lindvall, chairperson of the Board, and Heather Cavanagh, president and CEO, commented with the following letter:
“On the behalf of the Board of Directors, we are so incredibly sorry to hear about the devastating fire and loss of businesses in Downtown Stamford today. In the early morning hours, four businesses located on Bedford Street, Atelier Valoar Couture, Chez Vous Bistro, SHIRO Dessert, Women’s Business Development Council, and U & I Deco Fine Arts & Framing on Spring Street, were significantly impacted by a 4-alarm fire that destroyed each respective business. Our heartfelt thoughts are with these business owners as they grapple with their inconceivable loss. The Stamford Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the City of Stamford and DSSD, are here to support the business owners during this tough time.
Due to the swift and courageous response from the City of Stamford Fire Department, the blaze was contained before impacting other adjacent businesses. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
As an organization that supports local businesses, we ask that as a community that we rally together to help these businesses recover. If you have a temporary location that perhaps you could donate, a resource or would consider lending a hand where needed, please contact Heather at hcavanagh@stamfordchamber.com or 203-614-9979. Together we can make a difference and support our local business community.”
The Stamford Downtown Special Services District also commented on social media.
“Our hearts go out to the businesses affected by the fire that broke out on Bedford Street early this morning. Thankfully, emergency services responded quickly, but the damage is significant.
Stamford Downtown is committed to helping the businesses through this trying time and will work closely with Mayor Simmons, the City of Stamford and the Stamford Chamber of Commerce to support the business owners, their employees and everyone impacted by this unfortunate event.
We look forward to rebuilding and making Bedford Street stronger than ever!”
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