Left Without Pharmacy After Fire, Perryville Shoppers Forced Elsewhere
By: Josh Berry, KARK 4 News
Updated: October 12, 2012
Big Star Food and Drug burned to the ground Wednesday (10/11) afternoon.
Investigators on the scene said they have determined a cause.
Store owners say they're at least happy to know it wasn't as a result of something from inside their store.
Photographic evidence presented to the investigator allowed them to confirm the cause as an outside source of unknown origin.
The owners and insurance adjustors seem to think a lit cigarette left on a window sill started the fire.
As a result, folks are left without some basic needs.
A trip to the grocery store is an adventure every time for Pokey Wougamon.
He touts his shopping prowess.
"Three ex wives," Wougamon explained. "I know how to shop."
But the isles of the store he shopped in Thursday, he's unfamiliar with.
"Over there at Perryville I don't even have to look," he explained. "I know where it's all at."
The store he's gone to for years in Perryville however, was leveled to the ground in flames Wednesday. 24 hours later, it still smoldered.
The place he shops in Thursday, another Big Star Food and Drug in Morrilton. It's more than groceries however that Wougamon has to drive 18 miles for now.
The fire showed no mercy on the pharmacy side of the store either.
Thursday, the task at hand was construction in hopes of quickly fixing up a nearby building to be the new pharmacy.
A vacant building owned by the same people as the grocery store is being renovated to take the old one's place.
One, because it used to be a hub for the town.
Terry Wilmoth was the grocery manager at the store until it was destroyed. Thursday he acts as construction manager to help get the building ready to go.
"I know everybody that comes through that store. It's hard... hard not to cry really," he said.
And two, folks like Pokey Wougamon, while they may be able to go somewhere else for groceries, they still need their pharmacy.
"We've provided a service to Perry County for over 29 years," said store owner, Chris Watson. "I've talked to Board of Pharmacy this morning. They're going to issue an executive order."
Ironically enough, the day it burned down, was their 29th anniversary to the day they first started operation.
Wougaman added, "People of Perry County just appreciate what they trying to do trying to build it back."
The owners mentioned that their insurance company told them they have some of the best coverage available.
They're already making floor plans for a new store. Short term though, they're focused on getting the pharmacy on the same lot up and running by Monday.
Investigators on the scene said they have determined a cause.
Store owners say they're at least happy to know it wasn't as a result of something from inside their store.
Photographic evidence presented to the investigator allowed them to confirm the cause as an outside source of unknown origin.
The owners and insurance adjustors seem to think a lit cigarette left on a window sill started the fire.
As a result, folks are left without some basic needs.
A trip to the grocery store is an adventure every time for Pokey Wougamon.
He touts his shopping prowess.
"Three ex wives," Wougamon explained. "I know how to shop."
But the isles of the store he shopped in Thursday, he's unfamiliar with.
"Over there at Perryville I don't even have to look," he explained. "I know where it's all at."
The store he's gone to for years in Perryville however, was leveled to the ground in flames Wednesday. 24 hours later, it still smoldered.
The place he shops in Thursday, another Big Star Food and Drug in Morrilton. It's more than groceries however that Wougamon has to drive 18 miles for now.
The fire showed no mercy on the pharmacy side of the store either.
Thursday, the task at hand was construction in hopes of quickly fixing up a nearby building to be the new pharmacy.
A vacant building owned by the same people as the grocery store is being renovated to take the old one's place.
One, because it used to be a hub for the town.
Terry Wilmoth was the grocery manager at the store until it was destroyed. Thursday he acts as construction manager to help get the building ready to go.
"I know everybody that comes through that store. It's hard... hard not to cry really," he said.
And two, folks like Pokey Wougamon, while they may be able to go somewhere else for groceries, they still need their pharmacy.
"We've provided a service to Perry County for over 29 years," said store owner, Chris Watson. "I've talked to Board of Pharmacy this morning. They're going to issue an executive order."
Ironically enough, the day it burned down, was their 29th anniversary to the day they first started operation.
Wougaman added, "People of Perry County just appreciate what they trying to do trying to build it back."
The owners mentioned that their insurance company told them they have some of the best coverage available.
They're already making floor plans for a new store. Short term though, they're focused on getting the pharmacy on the same lot up and running by Monday.
