Stroudsburg’s Sew & Vac, burned for third time, vows to return

Aug. 05--Though damaged by fire Saturday, Pocono Sew & Vac was open for business Monday at a location across the street.

"We are taking it day by day," owner Bob Jermain said wearily.

For the foreseeable future, Pocono Sew & Vac will operate its repair business at 564 Main St., in the Main Street TV & Appliances building, across the street from its fire-damaged store.

The situation isn't one unfamiliar to Jermain. Saturday's fire was the third to affect the business during its 35-year history on Main Street, Stroudsburg.

Witnesses to Saturday's fire reported seeing flames coming from an apartment above the store. As of Monday, the cause of the fire was still under investigation. It started in an apartment on the second floor of the building, said Stroudsburg Assistant Fire Chief Charlie Frantz.

It's unclear at this time whether the building will be able to be re-occupied.

The first fire to affect Pocono Sew & Vac started on Dec. 27, 1982, in the Flowerland florist shop, which was next door. At that time, Pocono Sew & Vac was a couple of doors down from its current location.

That fire started in the rear workshop of Flowerland while the store was closed. It's believed to have been caused by a light left on overnight, which apparently generated enough heat to ignite dried flowers on a workbench.

After the 1982 fire, Jermain and his wife, Fran Jermain, temporarily operated Sew & Vac out of an office trailer at the rear of the store.

1996 fire

The second fire happened in February 1996 when someone set fire to two dumpsters, one behind the Jermains' store, and another behind Dunkelberger's Sports Outfitters. That fire destroyed the rear room and ceiling of Sew & Vac.

In June 1996, the store moved to its current location at 567 Main St.

On Monday, Jermain was still waiting on his insurance company to determine if he might be able to sell, for a discounted rate, some of the new sewing machines that were on the sales floor at the time of the fire.

Longtime employee Bea Kasebier estimates there were about 150 new machines for sale at the time of the fire.

"We were very lucky, very lucky it wasn't worse," said Kasebier, who has worked there for about 17 years.

Loyal customers

Kasebier was conducting a class at the time the fire started. An alarm sounded, and someone said there was a fire.

"Everyone in the class and the store just started grabbing things that had been brought in for repair," she said.

Luckily, the majority of items waiting for repair were removed from the store. Dunkelberger's Sports Outfitters lent a truck so the Jermains could help move items.

Both Jermain and Kasebier noted how loyal the store's customers have been. There are some who travel up to three to four hours away just for Sew & Vac's services.

On Monday, two customers from New Jersey came to see if there was anything they could help with, Kasebier said.

"It's really the whole downtown and people coming together," she said.

Prior to becoming Pocono Sew & Vac, it was a Singer sewing machine store, Kasebier said. She remembers her mother and grandmother shopping there when she was a little girl.

"I know we'll be back. We've done it before, and we'll do it again," she said.

Red Cross helps

As of Monday, the Pocono chapter of the American Red Cross had helped 17 residents who were displaced by the blaze, said local Red Cross Director Michele Baehr. The Red Cross paid for hotel rooms for those individuals from Sunday through Monday evening.

Today, Pocono Alliance will take over to connect those individuals to new housing and services.

The building is owned by the Malta Temple, Kasebier said. The top floor is used for its services. A sign on the building directs people to call Jerry Dekalb Sr., the building supervisor, if they are interested in apartments at the building. Phone calls to the number were not returned Monday.

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