MARIETTA, Ga. — At least half a dozen businesses in a Cobb County shopping plaza are closed after a fire broke out at a cell phone repair store.
Investigators suspect the fire started from a device with lithium batteries being left to charge and overheating.
The smoke from the fire spread through walls and vents, impacting neighboring businesses.
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Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes spoke with business owners who say they have had to temporarily close their doors because of smoke damage.
Annell Gerson, the owner of the Bookmiser bookstore, said approximately 35,000 books were affected.
“Books are powerful,” Gerson said. “And the things readers tell authors—about what a book did—I carry those thoughts, those memories with me.”
Annell and Jim Gerson have owned Bookmiser bookstore on Roswell Road for nearly 30 years, and it has been a community hub where 15 different book clubs meet, including one for widows and parents who have lost children.
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Restaurant owners say they’ll have to toss out everything in their kitchen.
“We need to throw away all the items in the kitchen—all food—to-go box containers—everything. So it’s a very tough situation for us,” said Chopsticks owner Lin Lin.
Chopsticks has been in the plaza for 16 years, and the fire has caused significant disruption to her family-run business.
All business owners in the plaza are hopeful to reopen their doors as soon as possible, but say they don’t know when they’ll be able to.
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