Fire at Hunters IGA in Wolfeboro?
 

Hearing second alarm, additional ladder trucks requested, exterior operations only. Anyone local confirm?

Full 3rd alarm right now, with additional equipment requests for manpower and air supply. Hunters Shop n Save 60 South Main, directly across from the park. Tough situation. Stay safe everyone working.

Looks like a rough situation


https://www.necn.com/news/local/larg...ro-nh/2909207/

Looks to be a total loss. https://www.wmur.com/article/wolfebo...11623/42527361

This is so very sad. My heart goes out to all involved.

Very Sad
 

This is really sad...such a staple and well respected business in the community... many employees have worked there for years now gone completely is just a shame.

So sad...

Dan

Fire at Hunters IGA in Wolfeboro?
 

Hunter’s was the only market around when I was a kid in the sixties and seventies and even into the eighties. Not only a loss for Wolfeboro and the many employees, but for family histories as well.


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A terrible loss. Really a great store with good people, good food, friendly atmosphere. Let's hope they can rebuild

Fire at Hunters IGA in Wolfeboro
 

Tragic. Hunters was a store full of great stuff, but best "stuff" of all was the employee staff. To a person, everyone one of the staff was helpful, friendly, and nice to know.
When I was downtown early this morning, I looked at the site and amidst all the rubble stood their flagpole with the "stars and stripes" still flying (sort of brings a lump to the back of your throat).

Yes, that was amazing, wasn't it?

I hope they rebuild; and NOT sell-out to a condo developer.
Hunter's store and their employees are an asset to the town.

Local help
 

I'm sure the local residents will do everything they can to help rebuild this valuable local asset. Certainly, it is a tragic loss. Please post here if there is a way us summer folk can help.

Hunter's plans to rebuild their grocery store
 

Per Chamber of Commerce Facebook post:

Wolfeboro Area Chamber of Commerce
3h ·
“The good people in charge of Hunter's Shop 'n Save tell us yes, Hunter's will be back "as quick as possible". It will be rebuilt. The store and its people are such a huge part of the Wolfeboro community! Difficult to see today's devastation, and grateful everyone is okay”

Do any of you folks remember when this was the A&P store ?

And Harvest Market used to be The First National Store ?


The entire fire situation is a shame. I'm confident that when they build back they will build back so that the store aisles will flow much better, and products will be better displayed for 2023 living (i.e. bigger frozen food sections, better Produce Department, etc).

Granted, their space is limited but imagine if they build the new building with a full basement so that can serve as their new backroom storage, and convert the current backrooms to retail space..... I'm sure there are a ton of ideas out there.

They'll be back. After all it is a thriving successful business, and I don't believe Harvest Market will be able to fill the void that Hunters would leave if they didn't build back.

Let's all wish them speed and luck!

Supporting Hunter's...
 

For their employees, a GoFundMe page has been established:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-f...ers-of-hunters

BTW: This is their second fire in recent history. I know that, because I've saved the T-shirt they handed out... :coolsm:

Hope they open the bakery first, as my visitors won't settle for anything less when it comes to Hunter's Whoopie Pies. :look:

Anyone know how long it takes to rebuild something like this?

Also, it's great to see local businesses contributing to that GoFundMe.

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Fire at Hunters IGA in Wolfeboro
 

Like I said in an earlier post, "tragic". But, let's not lose sight of the absolutely fabulous job the Wolfeboro Fire Department, and all the other Departments who responded to the multiple alarm mutual aid call did to save the buildings to the side and rear of Hunters. The quick thinking by the Incident Commander to change the effort from trying to extinguish Hunters to preserving the neighborhood undoubtedly saved those buildings, and probably lives. All the responding Departments deserve the highest level of THANK YOU.

I hope they rebuild it just as it was. The charm and comfort of the decor was wonderful. If I want a fancy market, I can go to Hannafords in Alton.


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I leave the specifics to them, but I agree that Hunters was charming, comfortable, and did not feel like a big place. I home those traits are retained

If they change too much it could take years to get it approved by the town.

I read a report that one of the first firefighters in the door found the flag stored in its normal overnight spot near the front door and removed it. The flag was raised again after the fire had been extinguished.

Yes I do! My family started vacationing in Wolfeboro in the mid-60s and I think it was an A&P then. At some point it changed to an IGA. My father used to know Mr. Hunter, the original owner.

Investigation of the Fire
 

A chain link fence has gone up around the rubble @ Hunter's.

There is a sign posted that reads; "NOTICE: This fire is currently under investigation and critical evidentiary items are present. Do not move, alter, destroy or remove anything from the area described below. Do not enter."

The sign is posted by Fire and Explosion Investigations, Inc., a Private Investigations firm based in Monmouth, ME (at least that's their PO Box).

Does anyone know if the involvement of investigators like this (other than the Wolfeboro FD and the State Fire Marshal) is normal at this point, or does it imply that there's something suspicious?

If I were the insurance company, I would insist on this for almost any fire. Therefore, nothing noteworthy

Very normal for any fire.

Most all fires will be investigated by a third-party from the insurance company. They do it for subrogation purposes. To see if they can recoup from whatever the cause may have been. This preserves the evidence until all parties are able to inspect.

An insurance company's primary objective, as with all public corporations, is to make money for their stockholders. Of significant note, is their uncanny ability to deny claims.

For starters, they will search for any dated construction materials from the rubble; Romex, porcelain fixtures, PVC pipe, structural steel, door frames, etc.; and then obtain copies of all construction/repair permits. If they find any discrepancies, the claim will most likely be denied; citing the unauthorized repairs contributed to the fire.

I'm praying the loss is covered and wish Hunter's a quick recovery.

This theory is a REAL stretch.

I think fire is fire unless purposely set, the owners will get their money. Looking at all those other factors is more likely to provide opportunities for subrogation, or to limit the use of particular products in the future.

And denying a claim on a fire of this type would result in a law suit that would cost the insurance company more then the claim. This might seem like a big claim to the average guy but it’s a small deal to a decent size insurance company.
Some legitimate discussion of the payout and values might occur but if the owner bought proper coverage and placed realistic values on what was insured the claim will be paid . ( prayers only needed for the under insured )

As I have recently been involved in fire incident at a property I own part of... the process and time table for a rebuild is anything but certain. Once the building is turned over to the insurance company, they will do an investigation if they start to find evidence that there is a culprit that could have led to the fire, they will keep the property locked, until a determination can be made, and any additional investigation take place. This could take anywhere form a week to several months.

Step two in the process, is getting a building and site plan ready to go, this includes understand what upgrades will be need to bring a new or rebuilt structure to current codes. Then then it all goes to the insurance company who will debate what coverage the building owner actually have, and there will be again some back and forth to get to a final settlement. Agian this could take a week or several months....

Then of course bid for the work have to be put out and some company has to b id successfully, and be available for the job...

While some of this work can be going on in Parallel, it is not as fast as one might think, especially if the insurance company finds a cause that the can subrogate against to recover some of the loss.... I would be very surprised if something got completed this year..... But hopefully by summer 2024.....

Thanks for the info. Does insurance cover anything in terms of wages/lost work?

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Business interruption insurance can cover payroll, provided they had that form of insurance.

Otherwise, no.

Given the difficulty other businesses seem to having finding employees, I should think the affected workers can find new work immediately and perhaps return when and if the store is rebuilt.

Hunter's fire
 

There have been a lot of posts about this topic - and rightfully so, after all, it isn't everyday fire of this magnitude occurs. But, I would like to add a big dose of "caution" to the situation. There is only a very small handful of people who can answer the questions and speculations that are popping up. Questions about insurance for this particular incident can only be answered by the principals, same with rebuilding schedules, or any other piece of the situation. So, before this thread gets too far down the road without any of the principals involved, I am saying we need to be very cautious. Thank you.

This is private property. There is no need for it to be "put out to bid". The owners could already be working with architects and contractors for a rebuild design. They may have already selected a favorite builder/contractor who they wish to use to construct the new building.

Rebuilding
 

FWIW, If they rebuild, it would be helpful to them if they could buy the property behind them. It's a vacant lot and would give them a lot more space but also complicate the rebuilding process.

If they where just going to rebuild and not be concerned about insurance I would agree.... However the insurance company isn't going to just open there check book and say what ever it takes. It is in the best interested of everyone involved to go through a bidding process. There will also likely be a private insurance adjuster involved to help get the greatest recovery from the insurance company.

The insurance company covers and will pay for their loss, not the new construction. The new building may have no resemblance to the building that burned and the insurance company will not be involved in the construction. They have no say in what the owners choose to build.

The owners can build whatever they want and it will be built to today's building codes and will probably be a much more expensive building than what was there. They may have "replacement value" insurance but that is usually calculated by the square foot of the property lost. Once the insurance company writes the check for the loss they are no longer involved.

Well yes what you state is true..... the devil is in the details, and truly depends on how the building owner wants to proceed... You are right the building may not look like the old one... but that doesn't mean the insurance company settles based on square footage alone... Part of a good insurance policy for commercial restate is going to include code and ordinance insurance. The need to understand what upgrades that are needed, that can then be covered through that takes time can keeps the insurance company involved.

Believe me what used to be easy and straight forward is no longer. The insurance industry has created so many caveats and special insurance items, that it make recovering from a catastrophic lose very time consuming. The complexity of it all, comes back to what coverage's the insured implemented, which unless we get the details from the building owner, is simply a guessing game at this point.

That would be a good idea, however I believe the lot directly behind them may be zoned residential (one or two family) and not zoned commercial.

I am confident they are looking at all options at this point. Whatever they do I would be surprised if the new store would look anything like the old store once did.

It is my belief that the old store was loaded with asbestos in the original tile floors and the older piping (which ran the heating and cooling). Asbestos is considered hazardous waste and this will need removal and proper disposal prior to any rebuilding process. Proper handling "could" delay a speedy rebuild.

I doubt if it would be quick in any event. Too bad they couldn't find an existing structure to open for a year or two while the new store is being built.

Hunter's IGA update
 

Any update on the progress of Hunter's IGA after the fire back in January? Just wondered if there had been any activity or rumors of rebuild.

They have a sign by the sidewalk that says they will be back. The piles of rubble from the fire are still sitting there.

Logistics
 

They need to have all their ducks in a row. Added traffic, construction vehicles, etc. It's a busy place in the summer.

There was some equipment there for a while - floodlights, backhoe, and they built some sort of pathway, with a shed alongside (to test outgoing loads) - but it's all gone now.

It would be great to get a preliminary on the cause, and some sort of timeline for removal of the organic matter in the pile. Once it warms up, it may become unpleasant to be around.

There is some recent activity so maybe it will start moving. The owner of the Hunter's property, bought the Walgreen's property, the building that used to house the laundry behind Hunter's and a lot behind those.

Harvest Market must be seeing quite an uptick in business??

I know. I was told they are having a tough time handling it because they can't get enough help.

Park Across the Street or in the Back...
 

Harvest Market can't get too overwhelmed, due to inadequate parking. (A safety valve for their market).

I'm guessing it's more likely that Harvest doesn't have room for more help, not that they can't get help. According to the Hunter's owner and manager, 50-60 Hunter's employees suddenly lost their jobs due to the destruction of the store. So where did they go? Even considering that some were of retirement age, some may have gotten jobs at Alton or Ossipee Hannafords, and some may have decided to get different kinds of jobs, Harvest would seem the natural choice for many.

I thought the same. Was surprised when I read that.

Went by the Hunter’s site this morning and there were several people in white work suits and and an excavator digging thru the burnt building remains. Maybe a rebuild is underway.


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Their Second Fire of Note...
 

This isn't Hunter's first fire!

...I have the T-shirt... :look:

Show us the shirt.

It looks like their plan is to open by next July.

Oh yay they will reopen it next July in 2024 but when will they start rebuilding the hunters building I love the old building but I can't wait for the new building so when will they get started on rebuilding the hunters?

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They said next month.

You mean September? Also how old is hunters when did it get built?

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Hunters started out as an A&P store, and Harvest Market was a First National Store. Both were transferred to new ownerships back in the 1970's.

I am not sure why it is important as to when the A&P was built, but my best guess is the late 1940's or sometime in the 1950's.

During Hunters ownership they made three expansions if my memory serves correctly; One in the front right side for a bread aisle (closest to the now Mexican Restaurant), one in the rear left side for deli & produce (near the now Walgreens) and one near the front door entrance.

As another poster has stated, plans have been approved and new construction is due to begin shortly with a new grand reopening now scheduled for July 4, 2024.

If you need further information about this then I suggest you purchase the local newspaper "Granite State News" dated August 3rd, 2024. They do have some information for you there. It is available at Blacks Gift Shop in Wolfeboro.

Oh okay could you send me the link of the newspaper?

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I believe you have to be a subscriber in order to get a link and that is why I told you where to go to obtain a copy.

Another alternative would be for you to call the publisher: "Salmon Press".

I don't know if Salmon Press will answer the phone today or not but their phone number is 603-279-4516.

If you do talk to them maybe you can ask about the Riverview Motel in Alton and see if they can provide you with answers for all the repetitive questions that you also had for that particular business.

Best of luck!

Found It!
 

I have the shirt in front of me. It was located in the rag bin, because I have Red Squirrels here. :rolleye2:

On the back it says:

On the front it reads:

Surely, others here can vouch for Hunter's messaging? :confused:

Sitting In Front of Hunter's Now...
 

Excavation has started!

:banana:

Cross your fingers ... I hope it's for a new Hunters and not a condo building. I don't deal well with change.
I certainly have missed the romance of grocery shopping at a small/local grocery store by boat.

https://www.conwaydailysun.com/busin...f3db73072.html

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.town...=crop%2Cresize

It will be back...:liplick:

And since that link you posted, WHG, it has gone through the zoning board and is all approved. Dawson's is digging the foundation right now so it is on it's way!!!!

Anyone know if they plan having a full basement (for product storage) or will it just be a giant slab? Anyone know?

I have no experience in retail, but wouldn't a second level at a grocery be super expensive from a time and materials operating perspective? Does anybody do that?

ONLY when retail space is at a premium. They will make the most money if they utilize the space on the ground floor as 100% retail, and store their products in the presumably basement.

Now will this happen this way? Who knows, but if they do have a full basement then one can assume that they will use this strategy.

All retail floor space in Wolfeboro is at a premium.

In a new build, it would depend on the business model. Any and all storage space is a costly endeavor. Warehouse retailers generally go vertical, and work in bulk. Intermediary replenishment centers changed that to JIT. But the models are always evolving.

I believe it is a slab

An excavator is digging down maybe 7-8 feet? Not sure if they are changing the grade to put support under a slab, or if there might be underground storage. I believe it's going to be a steel building, and I thought it was on a slab.

Anybody with construction knowledge want to weigh in?

https://i.ibb.co/kJFs8mx/Hunters.jpg

The info is probably available at town hall on the building permit, mnaybe even on the town website.

Even on a slab they need to dig to build a level load bearing base and to pour a frost wall. I wouldn’t have thought 7-8 ft though.


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Well, the site is on a slope, so just enough for the slab on the downhill side would mean deeper on the uphill side, and that is what the photo seems to show.

I watched the meetings so I should know but in one ear and out the other you know, but I do remember they said they wanted to make the whole lot more level.

Underground Parking? Underground parking could be a welcome addition to this very dysfunctional parking lot. Especially during the winter months......

But, don't hold your breath!

"Dysfunctional parking lot"? I don't recall ever having any significant problems there. How did you find it problematic? :confused:

Spaces are tight, most spaces have a pitch, not an easy lot to navigate during busy times.......

I agree, when they changed the directions the last time, it became difficult. But don't go to Walgreen's now if you don't need to! There was digging and all kind of equipment in front and you could hardly get through. The ramp was blocked off. When we left, somebody had parked in an end spot so if you had parked in the upper part, like we did, you really were blocked. We barely squeezed through but it was so close I got out of the car to make sure we were ok.

Water Runoff Filtering System
 

I watched the planning board meetings when Hunter's were presenting their new plans. They are installing some type underground filtering system for rain runoff from the roof. I admit I didn't fully understand it. Representatives from one of the Lake Associations were concerned with what flows into the bay. Hunters did not have any system before the fire but were adding one to be able to rebuild. The planning board meetings are on Wolfeboro Community TV and can be accessed through You-Tube.

This is excellent news and probably decades overdue, though I do not mean to be critical of Hunter's past practices--it's all of us. The biggest strain on the lake is our collective development before we appreciated the dangers of runoff.

Not so long ago, folks in NH knew how to walk on ice and snow. Now, they fall and sue and owners of parking lots are "forced" to use lots of salt. I imagine the system is similar to what went into the parking lot redevelopment in Glendale with the new MP HQ project. Bravo Hunters.

What they are doing is now required by Federal law. For development or re-development of a site, a Stormwater Management Plan is required. Post development runoff must be less than it was prior to development. Roof drains are directed to underground chambers that provide infiltration back into the ground. I would suspect that there will be significant drainage structures (catch basins) that will capture parking lot runoff as well.

So I was just catching up on this thread... As mentioned part of this project will be conforming to new codes and ordinances that are in place. They will likely work the entire site over, and digging deep isn't a big surprise, they have to have support that goes beneath the frost line.... for the structure itself.....

Any thoughts of underground storage or parking are not likely..... that would be additional cost, that the insurance company would not cover.... Insurance will cover making the business whole again, but will not pay for any improvements and may not even cover all the improvements needed to bring everything up to code....