Las Vegas business comes back strong after fire
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When disaster strikes it is hard to come back after losing almost everything. One shop here in town is proving that with the right motivation it can rise from the ashes. Video by ktnv.com
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Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- When disaster strikes it is hard to come back after losing almost everything. One shop here in town is proving that with the right motivation it can rise from the ashes.
Mike's Shoe Repair was left in a mess after a fire destroyed much of the small business, but the owner is back to helping it's loyal base of customers, and again contributing to our local economy.
It's business back as usual at Mike's Show Repair, a 30-year Las Vegas business that burned down back in October.
"I never lost a job. That day I lost my job, and that's the only income I had to support my family," says owner Mike Pogosyan.
The fire erupted when a spark from one of Mike's machines hit a pile of dust. Despite his store left in a dirty, blackened mess, Mike kept working.
"We never shut down the business for even one hour. Throughout the fire time," says Pogosyan. "We were at the sidewalk the day of the fire, and Monday after that we took the temporary location."
That temporary location still wasn't ideal. Mike did not have even basic utilities.
"We had to borrow power from our good neighbors eight stores away. He let us borrow power so to keep going and not lose customers," says Pogosyan.
He thanks his neighbors, as he makes new friends at a new location down the street.
"Same idea, same shop, same shoemaker, newer, bigger, and better," says Pogosyan.
And better technology and machines. Mike attributes his come back to his son, nine-month-old Armand.
"I don't know if it wasn't him, I would have found enough energy to do everything I did the last three months. It was just a living nightmare day in and day out," says Pogosyan.
As the final touches are made on the new sign outside his shop Mike is ready to start fresh.
"Right Armand," he asks his infant son. "Now there is no stopping us! We will work hard to bring back everything we lost right?"
Mike wants to give thanks to all of his customers who have continued to support him, and says he will continue giving them great quality and customer service.
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