Ozark businesses reopen, relocate after collapse of 140-year-old building on square

Two weeks ago a more than 140-year-old building on the historic downtown square in Ozark collapsed without warning. Demolition of the building was completed Wednesday, but obstacles remain for three businesses on the same block.

The demolished building, located at 101 W. Church St., had housed Adventure Coffee Co., an office space and a residential unit. The reason for the building's Dec. 29 collapse remains undetermined.

The other businesses that share the block are Heart of Grace Boutique, Iguana Roja Restaurante and the Ozark License Bureau. On the morning of the building's collapse, all of the businesses and residential units on the block were evacuated. No one was reported injured.

Business has resumed at Iguana Roja and the license bureau, but Heart of Grace Boutique is in the middle of relocating to a new, temporary location on the square.

Two days after the building's collapse, on New Year's Eve, Tisha and Spencer Wade, co-owners of Heart of Grace Boutique, had one hour to retrieve belongings from their shop, with help from the Ozark Fire Protection District. The following week, the Wade's had about two additional hours to retrieve any remaining items they would need for the temporary location before the building was deemed off-limits.

In the back of the boutique, Spencer ran a 300-square-foot coffee shop, Cup of Grace Coffee. The Wade's did not transfer any of the coffee shop items to the new, temporary location.

The owners of the Enchanted Parlor building, located on the west side of the square, approached the Wades and offered them a temporary space. The boutique will open early next week in a space located at 116 N. Third St. The Wades said they expect to be in the temporary space for a few months, or however long it takes for structural engineers to deem it safe to return to their location on Church Street.

The boutique will be open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Updates will be posted on the Heart of Grace Boutique Facebook Page at facebook.com/heartofgracellc.

"It's been hard, but I do know that the actual community of Ozark and the business owners have been very helpful ... and so have the fire department and (Ozark) Historic River District," Spencer said. "We're very thankful."

Other businesses open despite blocked streets, parking

Two doors down from 101 W. Church St. is the Ozark License Bureau, operated by the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks. BCFO CEO Joe Daues said he knows at least one manager and one customer were in the license bureau when the nearby building collapsed.

"(The manager) described it (the building's collapse) as sounding like a car was coming through the front of the building," Daues said.

The license bureau resumed business the following week, on Jan. 2. Barricades remain along Church Street, prohibiting folks from parking in front of the businesses, but the sidewalk to the entrances is accessible.

Daues said the experience has been a "challenge," but the bureau was able to resume business "much quicker" than he anticipated, following an initial inspection by structural engineers.

On the opposite end of the block of the now demolished building is Iguana Roja. Brian Taylor, the restaurant's owner, said there's been a drop in customers due to the closed-off streets and restricted parking in front of the business.

For the majority of the two weeks since the incident, North Second Street and North First Street between Church Street and West Brick Street were closed to make room for demolition and cleaning. As of Wednesday, a portion of North First Street remains closed.

Taylor said he has also heard concern from community members about the safety of the building the restaurant is housed in. At this time, Iguana Roja and the Ozark License Bureau are open and safe for business and their hours remain unaffected.

"The City of Ozark is working with building owners and their contractors to keep the project moving as expeditiously as possible," the city of Ozark posted online Jan. 6. Updates can be found on the Ozark Missouri Facebook page at facebook.com/OzarkMissouri1.

The News-Leader contacted Adventure Coffee Co. but was unsuccessful in securing an interview.

According to the Ozark Missouri Facebook page, the building at 101 W. Church St. was constructed in the 1880s. Heart of Grace Boutique has been open for two years and Iguana celebrated their 10th anniversary in December.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: How one building's collapse has effected 3 downtown Ozark businesses