📆 February, 1952
Baer's Furniture is again the hottest place in town 🔥 when the nearby Sterling's Shoes experiences the downside of faulty wiring.
Smoke damage ruins the entire furniture store inventory, but at least the building didn't burn.
My grandfather remediates, and re-opens.
📆 February, 1965
Baer's Furniture is a retail lava lamp once more 🔥 when the York Floral Company next door goes up in flames.
Smoke and water damage again make the entirety of the store inventory a loss.
My grandfather cleans up, and re-opens.
📆 1983
My grandfather sells the store, as my Dad wanted nothing to do
with it.
Since then, 41 years: NO FIRES.
Even now, I cannot understand how and why they kept
this store going.
FOUR fires? 🔥🔥🔥🔥
NONE of which were their fault? ❌
How do you not sit down, look at the sky, and think "maybe this is a sign?"
As an entrepreneur, I really do wonder about this. Did they figure they weren't good at anything else?
Maybe, but after my great-great-great grandfather nobody was any good at actually MAKING furniture, just selling it. And surely that skill could be applied in a different capacity?
Was it a sense of family duty, after all those years?
When does persistence cross over into foolishness? What IS that fine line between stupid and clever?
I've been thinking about using this story on stage. But quite honestly, I'm not sure how to make it work.
So this is my sincere request of you in this issue of The Baer Facts (tragic fire edition): what is the LESSON you take from this tale?
Reply and let me know please? Best answer, as always, wins tequila + a signed book. (and a shout out on stage when I eventually tell this story to an audience)