The Akron community is still mourning the loss of Roush Market, the 71-year-old store that completely burned down May 30.
“Akron’s many small businesses help define the character of our city. Today, we sadly lost a neighborhood staple in Roush’s Market,” Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said in a statement. “…Roush’s has its own personality, a loyal following, and a profound connection to the surrounding neighborhood. Our thoughts are with the entire Ward 3 community and especially the owners of Roush’s who have been so committed to this neighborhood.”
The mayor also thanked Akron firefighters for “courageously battling the blaze” and expressed gratitude that no one was hurt in the incident.
Firefighters responded to 554 W. Thornton St. for a commercial fire around 6 a.m. Saturday and discovered the building engulfed in flames. No injuries were reported.
“The fire at Roush’s Market on Thornton is a heartbreaking loss for our community,” Akron City Council President Margo Sommerville said in a statement posted on Facebook.
The 15,000-square-foot building had been a neighborhood fixture since George C. Roush opened the store in January 1955.
Sherman Edmonds, an Akron resident shared that he had gone to the market since he was a child.
“I would still go as an adult for smoked meats, pigs feet and souse meat. Hopefully they are able to build back better,” Edmonds said.
The cause of the fire still remains under investigation.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron mayor, residents mourn loss of Roush Market after fire
Reporting by Alisson Toro-Lagos, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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