A three alarm fire ripped through the 120 year old church that housed The Great Northwest Bookstore in Portland, Oregon on Sunday. About 70 firefighters battled the blaze and when it was all over the building and the bookstore were completely destroyed.
Phil Wikelund, the owner of both the building and the bookstore, said that over 100,000 books where in the building at the time of the fire. Due to the recent economic downturn Wikelund had let his insurance for both the building and the bookstore lapse.
The Benevolent Fund of the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America (ABAA) will likely provide some help to Wikelund to help him get back on his feet.
Friends of Wikelund are also in the process of setting up a donation fund for him through the Onpoint Credit Union.
Story and photo gallery of the blaze at the Oregonian.