SALISBURY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) -- More than a dozen vendors at a Salisbury flea market are working to recoup what they lost after flames destroyed most, if not all, of their inventory.
This weekend was the first time the Webb Road Flea Market was open since the fire.
"We lost everything," said Jesus Villareal, who runs a produce stand. "We lost everything and we thought we could get something, but it was burned up. Everything burned up."
Villareal's business used to be inside the B building. Now, all that's left is some debris waiting to be cleaned up.
The aftermath of the fire that destroyed the Webbs Road Flea Market Dec. 15."We trust God and it's the hope for us to continue doing the business," he said.
Now, he's got a tent up in the parking lot, hoping customers will find him there, along with other displaced vendors who've set up shop anywhere on the property they can.
"We lost a couple washers, dryers," said Thomas Alexander, who works for one of the vendors. "We lucky that we did have some left at the shop."
Despite the cold weather, many people turned out for some last-minute Christmas shopping to support those who need it most.
Credit: Bostian Heights Fire Department"It's great coming out here and supporting all the local vendors," said Edwin Nolasco, a customer. "Everyone is coming out here trying to make sales and it's great coming out to an open market."
Some of the proceeds made are going to a good cause.
"They lost all of their businesses and it's right at Christmas," said Jade Battle, a vendor unaffected by the fire. "It just seemed like the right thing to do."
Battle and other vendors have banded together to give 10 percent of their proceeds from the weekend to the vendors who lost everything.
"Anything to get them to a point where they're able to maybe rebuild their stock and rebuild what they've lost, so they have the opportunity to restart their businesses," said Battle.
Come next weekend, crews will have the remaining debris cleared and tables and tents set up where the B building once stood for business owners to set up what's left of their inventory. Four months from now, the manager hopes a new building will be completed. Almost all of the 20 vendors have said they want to come back when it's finished.
As for what started the fire, the manager told Queen City News contrary to rumors, it was not a space heater. Fire investigators say they will release the cause this week.
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