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The fire that claimed Busy Bubbles Laundry has been out for days, but even on a rainy morning in Des Moines, the scent of smoke still hangs heavy in the air.
"It's just hard. Just plain hard. Never thought I'd have to do this," said Virgil Hochstetler, co-owner of Busy Bubbles.
On Oct. 19, a sudden fire broke out at the Busy Bubbles Laundromat and Car Wash, leaving a community staple in ruins. Now, the owners are left to figure out what comes next.
Virgil and Karen Hochstetler have owned the laundromat for over 12 years, but they never expected the call they received from an employee, telling them that the building was in flames.
"By the time we got there, there wasn't much left. Burned really fast," Virgil said.
The next few days were a blur—meeting with insurance representatives and fire investigators. The initial surge of adrenaline may have worn off, but the same can't be said for the shock.
"Still can't hardly process it," Virgil said.
"It's like grieving," Karen added.
The Hochstetlers aren't sure what's going to come next for the business. They'd love to rebuild, but high prices on construction materials might limit their options. But for the immediate future, they're more focused on their gratitude for all the people who've come through their doors over the years.
"It's gonna be very hard to not not think about our customers, and how much we appreciated each and every one of them," Virgil said. "You know, they were they were our livelihood."
All the employees and customers inside the building when the fire started were able to get out safely, and no injuries were reported.