Staff
After part of its facility was destroyed by a fire last summer, Sweet Home RV Center has started rebuilding, with plans to reopen as early as April, in time for this summer’s recreation season.
Fire destroyed a shop and damaged inventory and the store on Aug. 25. Firefighters responded to the call to 4691 Main St. at 10:59 p.m to find the shop fully involved and about to break through to the attached store, which was full of smoke.
Fire officials believe sparks from a grinder caused the fire, which started in the shop.
Since then, owners Clarence and Mary Mansfield have been running their store from a modular unit at 4691 Main St., and Clarence Mansfield is working on RVs outdoors, both of which limit some of what they can offer.
The couple have hired Keith Wooley as general contractor, Mary Mansfield said. “After all the stars lined up,” he was able to start working the first week of January.
“It’s exciting,” Mansfield said. “It’s kind of flipped over to the exciting side.”
The Mansfields are trying to use all local contractors, she said. They’re seeking an electrician now, and they’ve hired Floyd Neuschwander, owner of NeuFlo Plumbing, to take care of that area of the construction.
Most of the structure remained intact following the fire, and most of the construction is on the existing structure, Mansfield said. “The drywall did its trick. It saved probably 75 percent to 80 percent of the structure.”
SHRV had to replace 11 trusses and rebuild the wall between the shop and the showroom, both of which are in the shop building, attached to the back of the storefront.
“The city’s been very cooperative working with Keith Wooley,” Mansfield said.
Since the fire, “it’s been fun working out of this small, tiny, little house store,” Mansfield said, but “people are accommodating and understanding.”
The current arrangement has been challenging, without space for storage and inventory, she said. They can’t nail anything to the walls. Clarence Mansfield has to do his work outside, without a variety of tools, like air compressors or jacks.
Even so, she said, it’s been nice to have a covered place where they can do business.
Local businesses and residents have been helpful to the Mansfields since the fire. The Point Restaurant and Mike Hall have shared meals with them and done whatever they can to help. Foster Lake Mall has provided shelving.
She said they were grateful for donations from the community, including money, food and help with errands. Fire department personnel have checked back with them periodically to see how things are going.
Sweet Home RV has been able to pay its bills, Mansfield said, but things are still tight. She expects it to be that way for a few more months.
Donations may be given at Umpqua Bank, and a Go Fund Me page is accessible through the Sweet Home RV page, sweethomervcenter.com.
The business was founded in 1970. The Mansfields purchased it in 1991.
Anyone needing work on an RV should give the Mansfields a call, (541) 367-4293, to see if they can do the work, Mary Mansfield said.