Many businesses in the city of Leon were destroyed by fire

A fire broke out at businesses in downtown Lyons early Thursday morning. Firefighters got him out, but not before he set the building on fire.

“It’s pretty bad. That’s for sure,” James Sherman said.

Holly Beck and Jane Sieg own two of these businesses and say they don’t do much.

“I smelled it and I came forward and told everyone to get out of the building,” Beck said.

“Get out, get out of the building, there’s a fire,” Sig adds.

Holly is the owner of Bellwether by HJB Designs, a boutique that sells her leather goods and other local art. It took her a year and a half to get the business off the ground, but now she says her future is uncertain.

“I can’t understand what’s going on right now, let alone what my next step is,” Beck said.

Jane is the owner of Lovely by Nature Dog Grooming around the corner. She was preparing a dog when the fire broke out. She says that it all happened so fast that she didn’t have time to think. She said she only had time to run away with her nursing animal and a few belongings.

Sig said, “Just grab some scissors and my bag. The shop was full.”

She says owning this salon is her dream, and she just celebrated her one-year anniversary. It’s all gone now.

“To watch it burn, I just can’t,” she said. “It was my favorite place.”

It’s a huge financial loss for the two women, especially during their busiest time of year. Holly and Jenne say they need time to really understand what happened and how to move forward, but somehow they’ll bounce back.

“I don’t know, but I’m ready to open another store,” Sieg said.

Now, they say, they are counting on helping the community this holiday season. Holly is holding an artist sale from Saturday 17th December to help sell their work that has not been damaged by the fire and will be open from 4pm every day until 23rd December. Jane continues to foster dogs during the holiday season and has an online fundraiser to help her get back on her feet.