McCurdy’s on Main in Glennville severely damaged after fire

GLENNVILLE, Ga. (WTOC) - A cherished local business in Glennville is severely damaged after a fire Sunday evening.

Glennville Fire officials say it happened just before 6 p.m. Sunday in the 200 block of South Veterans Boulevard.

The business is known as McCurdy’s on Main, an antique and gift shop. Glennville Fire Chief Dale Barnard says when firefighters arrived on scene, the store was already fully engulfed.

”It’s a heartbreaker for our community,” said Lisa Barry, the owner of McCurdy’s on Main.

McCurdy’s on Main is gone, declared a total loss.

“It was a very hot fire; it was very hard to put out because it was an older house that had been converted,” said Glennville Fire Chief Dale Barnard.

Lisa Barry’s family bought the store almost two decades ago and by all accounts, it had been a Glennville staple since.

“It was very connected to this community, a lot of people shopped there.”

A few things were saved, but with the building unusable... next steps are still up in the air.

”Right now I really don’t know, I feel like we’re still in shock.”

They sold gifts and other items brides would need. The owner said she knew what the whole town was getting for Christmas, just as her mother drew it up.

”My mom started this store and you know this was her dream, this was her baby.”

Lisa loves this place... her store and city, saying the people of Glennville have supported her through the worst of times for years.

“The support of a small town when something like this happens, it’s immeasurable.”

In the last handful of years, Lisa’s lost her dad, mom, and brother... yet today with her business still smoking, she remained optimistic... an outlook nothing short of incredible.

“For me, my hope isn’t built on anything you could put your hands on, for me you know. I think everybody wakes up every day and you have a decision, either you’re going to be happy or you’re going to be sad and for me you know you just keep rolling on.”

The foundation of her life built on something that can’t be swept away... that hope, shining through the rubble and ash motivating us to take a lesson from Lisa and let hope be the flame that burns brightest.

Chief Barnard says multiple agencies helped to put out the blaze, totaling around 35 firefighters. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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