Aug. 30—After a fire ripped through a downtown Frederick building, business owner Maria Peck was left to pick up the pieces of her beloved boutique, but she was not alone.

On Monday, friends plucked salvageable items from the debris at Tiara Day at the corner of North Market and West Second streets. The building, which also housed apartments and The Record Exchange next door, caught fire Wednesday night. The cause is under investigation.

Days later, a layer of grime covered Tiara Day. The smell of smoke lingered.

Peck said the fire started on the second floor, but it was mostly water that damaged her business below. She sold antiques, jewelry, vintage and new clothing, stationery, trinkets and more in roughly 1,600 square feet of retail space.

Peck said some of her merchandise dated to the 1800s.

"It's a total devastating loss," Peck said Monday afternoon, standing inside her store.

Handkerchiefs wilted on their display, mannequin arms sat in a pile on the floor, gray flecks dotted the counter and there were holes in the warped ceiling. Doll heads — an oddity Tiara Day was known for — were toppled over on shelves.

Tiara Day came to Frederick in 2009 after stints in the Leesburg, Virginia, area, and Kensington in Montgomery County. Peck estimates she has spent 25 years collecting different pieces.

"I worked two jobs to get it going," Peck said. "I've never not wanted to go to work."

She is grateful no people were injured in the fire, but the loss of her storefront cuts deep. She sympathizes with the residents who lost pets and their homes in the blaze.

For Peck, the fire damaged the place where she built connections. She said the heart of Tiara Day is the relationships with people.

Online fundraisers are collecting donations for the businesses and residents affected by the fire.

As of 5 p.m. Monday, the GoFundMe started by Downtown Frederick Partnership had raised more than $19,000 to support Tiara Day and The Record Exchange. It also will benefit Frederick Book Arts Center, which was damaged by a separate fire on June 15.

"It's been unbelievable the amount of people [who] have reached out to me," Peck said. "My heart is overflowing with that."

On Sunday, about a dozen volunteers and staff members helped owner Sam Lock clean out The Record Exchange. One person brought out a box of CDs to salvage, only to find every case was wet inside.

The ceiling had partially collapsed. Those gathered offered their condolences.

The Record Exchange will seek a new location, according to its Facebook page. In a Facebook post, the business thanked the community for its support.

Lock could not be reached for comment Monday.

At Tiara Day, Peck, too, is touched by those who reached out after the fire. Strangers driving by offered cash, passersby stopped to shop the sidewalk sale and friends dropped everything to help clean up. Peck clutched her chest on Monday as she spoke about the support.

Behind orange-and-white-striped barricades on the sidewalk, Peck's friend Djohariah Singer cleaned items pulled from the store. She had helped shovel sludge, clean surfaces and take photos for insurance purposes.

She has known Peck for years and helped paint the store's interior when it opened. Singer said Tiara Day was a destination spot for shoppers.

"I know everyone's going to want her back," Singer said.

Jennifer Dougherty, a former mayor of Frederick who owns Magoo's Pub & Eatery, brought food and drinks across the street to Peck and her helpers. Peck embraced her.

Dougherty said any business owner would hate to go through what Peck is facing, so she wanted to support her friend.

"That's what makes Frederick great," Dougherty said. "People pitch in."

Rebecca Duke Wiesenberg, a longtime customer, managed sidewalk sales outside the store on Monday. Candles, bath fizzes, clothing and other items that eluded damage were for sale.

Duke Wiesenberg credits Peck with helping her find her style, dressing her for interviews and events over the years.

A small line started to form as pedestrians stopped to make a purchase or offer their sympathies.

"The community cares about Maria," Duke Wiesenberg said.

Peck scrolled through her phone, trying to recall the names of everyone who has helped her, such as local businesses that offered space for storage or pop-up sales. She wants everyone to know how much she appreciates them.

That love for the community and her passion for business will propel Peck forward. She plans to reopen, hopefully in downtown Frederick. She is searching for a new spot.

"I'm just gonna dry off my tiara and keep going," Peck said. "Tiara Day will sparkle again."

72 Hours Editor Lauren LaRocca contributed to this story.

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