MUNCIE — It’s the opposite of a Christmas miracle for Debbie Acree.
“That bubble and that one have tripled in size since Monday," the Muncie business owner said.
Acree is the owner of Debbie’s Handmade Soap & Co. — which she started in 1999 to find a way to treat her daughter’s Eczema.
When she walked into her store on December 26, she says it was a catastrophe.
“The ceiling was just pouring with water."
A pipe burst in the building a few floors above her.
The water traveled downward, flooding her brick and mortar.
Everything wet was ruined.
“Soaps are constantly throwing off water. So if they’re in a humid area, they will sweat because there’s no place for the water to go so it ruins the labels, it makes the soap look used," Acree said.
About 30 percent of the products in the store — including soaps, lotions, balms and butters — were destroyed.
That’s an estimated $15,000 to $20,000 in losses.
“When you look at it and you think of all the product you’ve lost, it’s not just that it’s all the time that we’ve invested to get to that point," she said.
At this point, she’s on a standstill waiting to hear from contractors.
Acree says her storefront may temporarily move across the hall while the space is being repaired.
She says it could take four to six months until she’s able to return to her space.
But it’s not all gloom and doom.
“I’ve gotta move forward because I’ve got people that need product. In the end, maybe I’ll turn out Better than I was before," she said.
Debbie’s will be fully operational in terms of shipping by the end of next week.
Acree asks for customers’ patience and support at this time.
To learn more about her business , click here.
