A longtime customer of FCP has recently endured a devastating fire that has put their business in jeopardy. Indie Auto of West Hatfield, MA needs the support of the European car community to put back the pieces of their family business.
Please take a moment to read their statement below, and check out their website and Facebook page! With your help they can reopen to be stronger than ever, offering Massachusetts Saab and Volvo enthusiasts a great place for auto repair once again.
Hello Friends, Family and Customers who have become Family Friends,
As you are likely aware, we lost the contents of our business, Indie Auto in West Hatfield MA, due to a devastating fire on August 5th.
Greg arrived back to the shop after a 10 minute road test to see smoke coming from a vent in the roof. He checked with Todd from Quality Automotive on the other side of the building to see if he was burning something. Quickly they all discovered that it was indeed a fire in the attic, and fast-moving. Greg opened their garage door and was overwhelmed by the amount of smoke filling the shop. With only a foot of clean air at the floor and audible fire raging above, Greg made the wise decision to consider his own safely first and abandon the building. Greg then helped on the Quality Automotive side to empty what they could from their shop, which was not deteriorating as quickly as the Indie Auto side.
Greg, Brian and Nate then sat and watched their dream go up in smoke, the roof collapsing and any hope for salvage being lost.
Everything in the shop, waiting room and bathroom area was lost. This included not only the files, supplies, parts inventory, equipment and materials acquired to set up shop 2.5 years ago, but also tool collections that have been built over two 20-year careers. As Volvo and Saab specialists, Indie Auto had a comprehensive collection of diagnostic tools and equipment.
Indie Auto does have insurance and it will help, however we are realizing that there will be a gap. Such is the pain of being a fast-growing business that has been spreading it's wings, only to have them clipped.
We have set up a gofundme account at gofundme.com/indieauto. Please read it and share it.
Greg Lawrence
PO Box 274
Whately MA 01093
