The Osceola community rallied around business owners after the downtown fire.

(Fox 9) – For the last nine years, the Red Bird Music Store has been a staple in downtown Osceola, Wisconsin.

But now only the front facade remains.

“I was going to downsize, and a friend of mine said, ‘What a dramatic way to downsize,'” said owner Bob Brace.

A fire broke out in the store’s kitchenette area on Wednesday night, and the flames quickly spread to the rest of the building.

Brace said no one was injured, but his building was a total loss, and the adjacent Natural Heritage Arts Center suffered severe smoke and water damage and has been closed indefinitely after opening just three months ago. It was

Art Center owner Jessica Turtle said: “It’s heartbreaking, so I still don’t get it. I’m sorry. I felt a little deflated.”

Since the fire, there has been a surge of support from the community.

A fellow downtown shopkeeper started a Facebook group to raise money to help both business owners rebuild.

“We feel a very close-knit town here, so when something tragedy happens, we all face this issue. No. We need them and they need us.” Antique store owner Gwen Wright.

Breath said that in addition to losing all his inventory of new and used records and instruments, his store cat, Beavis, also died in the fire.

But with the help of the community, he hopes to bring the music store back to life.

“I know everyone wants me back, and I want to come back too. I think it’s going to happen here, but it might take a while.