East Heights’ iconic Apple Market faced a close call when an electrical fire damaged the shop on Dec. 30, but the owners are looking to rebuild better than ever.
Manager Britney Dull, and daughter of longtime owner David Apple, said Apple Market is back on the road to recovery with a series of cosmetic repairs planned for the coming months.
Currently, the refrigerated fresh produce section is tarped off, and bins of fresh fruits are temporarily taking up the space that café tables once did. A walk-in cooler has been removed, standing water has been swept away and dozens of collapsed ceiling tiles have been put back in place.
Pensacola eateries that opened in 2022Every new Pensacola area restaurant that opened in 2022: 70+ new restaurants, bars, more
This Pensacola eatery has 78 sushi rollsPensacola’s newest Japanese restaurant goes the extra mile, offering 78 specialty sushi rolls
And less than a week after the fire, a loyal lunch crowd still frequents the deli, ordering up Reubens and wraps as if nothing had happened.
Since the fire, Dull’s creative wheels have been churning with renovation ideas and she has high hopes of rebuilding the damaged section of the store back better than before.
“Now we’ve got a blank canvas out there, who knows — maybe we’ll have a courtyard with a beer garden or something like that,” Dull said.
‘I thought it was going to be catastrophic’
Dull said that the dreaded phone call she received at 6:30 the night of the incident would bring out seven fire engines, a long stretch of cleaning, and an outpouring of community concern and support.
The store manager on duty fired up the fire alarm as propane tanks fired off like canons.
“Our store is on fire,” she recalled hearing her father say on the other line.
She drove in from Pace and joined a crowd of onlookers gazing at the smoke billowing out of the west side of store.
As a seemingly endless supply of water shot out of each firefighter’s hose, it was easy to imagine the building could be a total loss. For about an hour as the crew battled the blaze, all Dull could do was stand and wait.
“I thought it was going to be catastrophic,” Dull said.
Her family was told that if it hadn’t been for the quick response of Apple Market employees who took notice of the fire 15 minutes before closing time, there could have been nothing left except for their concrete safe.
The little store that could
Even though the damage from the fire appeared to be substantial, Dull said the store has bounced back time and time again.
“The little store that could” is the market’s motto written on the memo board on display to vehicles passing by on Scenic Highway, signifying the challenges the business has overcome since first opening as a Joseph’s IGA in 1965.
Apple’s family took over and renamed the grocery store 26 years ago. Their biggest challenge was the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan in 2004, which easily could have destroyed the mom-and-pop shop for good.
But each time, the family have been humbled by the community support that continues to keep their business alive.
“We appreciate our community and our city, the fire department, and the police department. We are very grateful for the rapid response and excellent service,” Dull said. “We get knocked down, but we get back up. And that’s by the grace of God and our community, honestly.”
Her staff volunteered to stay until midnight the night of the fire so they could open the doors for customers to see the damage with their own eyes the next day.
“That same crew was back up at 6 in the morning and they were so willing to help,” she said. “It (Apple Market) is like a part of their family.”
Customers loaded up their baskets with the salvaged goods, as the shop remained “slammed” and community members went out of their way to make Apple Market one of their New Year’s Eve stops.
Some loyal customers even offered to create a GoFundMe account for the store, however, Dull said she is hopeful that insurance will be sufficient to cover the expenses. The management team is just thankful that the damage was not more severe.
“The fire chief the next morning — she came in to volunteer her time to just help out and clean up. She said there is no other explanation than a miracle why there is not more damage than there is looking at the intensity of that fire,” she said. “(God) has allowed us to operate this store, and to keep it going. We’re just vessels. We’re just doing the best that we can to serve the community, because He has allowed us to be here.”
