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Old Market bouncing back from M's Pub fire

Posted at 6:31 PM, Dec 23, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-23 19:31:48-05

It's been nearly a year since the iconic Mercer building went up in flames.

While rebuilding efforts are underway, area merchants continue feel impact from the fire.

Merchants in the Old Market say things are mending but haven't completely healed after the M's Pub fire in January.

The fire continues to be on the top of shoppers' minds at the "All About Me" boutique across the street.

"Tons of people come in asking when they're re-opening and stuff like that, if they're coming back because they've been going there since the 1970s or so and that's one of their favorite places to eat down here," said Taylor Schram, sales associate.

While sales are on track now, Schram says they continue to feel the affects from the month and a half they had to close.

"We had to reorder all new inventory and we weren't making any sales," Schram said. "We were slow when we reopened and people weren't aware that other businesses were still open."

There's about one-tenth less traffic in the Old Market compared to December of 2015, said Passageway Art Co-op Member Paul Nichols.

"M's was a drawing card, admittedly, as is Spaghetti Works and a variety of others," Nichols said. "It will be nice to have the business across the street open again. As it stands, things are going quite well."

Both Old Market workers say the Neighborhood will pull through.

It's uniqueness draws a variety of Christmas Shoppers. 

1:39:21 "I kind of like how it's just older and you can find a Christmas store, you can find a whole bunch of different stores here," said Olivia Edwards, Andersen Middle School 8th grader. 

This couple, shopping for a wedding ring, has confidence is the historic neighborhood.
 
"It's a family," said Shopper Sharon Drew. "Everybody joins together. Once down they all  join together to bring it back up." 

"Not only that, but it's a traditional shopping style," said Shopper Mark Good.

M's Pub could reopen as soon as the summer with a different name.