Tuesday started out like any other day at a local sports shop in downtown Greenwood.
Then the building next door went up in flames.
The owners of Sports Plus, 200 E. Main Street, had just minutes to save as much inventory as they could before the fire that engulfed a grain elevator right outside spread to their building, which also houses an art studio.
“Total strangers I had never met were running in to help us. We were just taking things and throwing them out on to Main Street,” owner Scott Beasley said.
The fire at the now-abandoned historic Farm Bureau Co-op grain elevator started about 3:20 p.m., and the entire building went up in flames quickly.
Firefighters from the Greenwood, Indianapolis, White River Township and Whiteland fire departments spent hours at the scene Tuesday. Most of the fire was out in both buildings by 5 p.m., but crews were on site until about 10:30 p.m., said Chad Tatman, spokesperson for the Greenwood Fire Department.
Traffic on Main Street, which was closed for hours, reopened about 7:30 p.m., he said.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Beasley was at work when the fire started. The power went out, and he noticed the co-op outside was engulfed in flames, he said.
Sports Plus has been a Greenwood and Johnson County staple since 1983, when Beasley’s father started the business. The local sports shop sells a variety of sports equipment, but is most known for its custom screen printing and embroidery services. The shop customizes local team jerseys, and works on nearly 400 letterman jackets a year for all the high schools in Johnson County.
Beasley’s first thought after seeing the fire spread outside was to get as much inventory out of the store as possible. People who lived in the area, and those at nearby businesses rushed in to help Beasley pull out items in about 10 minutes, before the Greenwood Fire Department told them to evacuate the building, he said.
Together, they saved a lot of it, including all the custom projects in the works. Many of the items the shop works on come from customers who bring them in for customization.
“The biggest thing you think of is what do I have here that someone dropped off?” Beasley said. “We saved every single letter jack that was complete or in our possession from someone.”
Damage to the building was devastating, though. Most of the equipment inside is a complete loss, as the back end of the store suffered the most. The storefront was not as affected by the fire, but the smoke damage was significant, he said.
“I’m here right now, and it’s hard to be inside for more than 10 minutes because of the smoke damage,” Beasley said. “I’m no restoration expert, but it’s going to be a lot of rebuilding.”
The building will close for at least six months for restoration.
You Are the Artist, a small art studio run by Tereasa Taylor, is also housed inside the building, in a rented space.
At least 80% of the studio is not salvageable, including art supplies and about 60 to 70 canvas paintings, Taylor said.
“Pretty much anything in there that is salvageable is going to wreak of smoke,” she said.
Taylor opened You Are the Artist about five years ago. She teaches a variety of classes from canvas paint and wood painting to glitter tumbler decorating and Cricut classes. For now, she will likely expand virtual classes, and offer teaching videos that can be purchased on her website.
Beasley on Wednesday was still amazed by the community response after the fire tore through the building. Several people have reached out to him offering help. While the physical shop will be closed for a while, the plan is to find a temporary space to work, he said.
SCS Construction, across the street from the shop on Main Street, offered warehouse space. Mirror Imaging, a screen printing business also in Greenwood, offered office space for deliveries.
“The community has been outstanding,” Beasley said. “People have been reaching out to me through Facebook, emails and phone calls. It’s been great.”
