Businesses slow to recover after fire

Almost five weeks after a fire ripped through the Convenience Food Store at 39th and Walnut streets, the store, as well as neighboring College Pizza and Mega Video, is still closed for business. Both College Pizza and Mega Video sustained severe water and smoke damage from the blaze, forcing major and costly repairs. Mega Video manager Orest Hrabowy, sitting alone yesterday in his dark, near-empty store, said he is unsure when he will be able to reopen. He added that major repairs still have yet to be completed. "It's going week by week," Hrabowy said. "We're going to try to open up as soon as we can. There's no target date right now, [but] hopefully by April or May." College Pizza owner Ulysses Lancellotti is a little more optimistic. Lancellotti said he hopes to re-open a small part of his pizza shop by Monday or Tuesday of next week. He added that the rest of the store will be opened when the repairs are finished. The pizza shop sustained severe damage from the fire, costing an estimated $50,000 to $60,000. Lancellotti said that his insurance company will pay for the damage, but they will not replace the potential revenue he has lost because of the shutdown. In addition, even though the fire was officially declared arson by the Philadelphia Fire Department, Convenience Food Store owner Sam Patel said he refused to believe arson caused the fire. Patel said arson occurs in places like Harlem or Brooklyn, but not in West Philadelphia. Patel, who owns a few other convenience stores in Center City, added that he has never had trouble with criminals. "I don't believe it," Patel said. "I was shocked when they told me the cause. It was a good business. "I have never had problems," he added. "I've never even had robberies or break-ins." He also said that he was committed to rebuilding the store, but is waiting for the insurance company to give him the green light. Lieutenant Terry Green, of the Philadelphia Fire Marshall's Office, said the Fire Marshalls are currently looking into several suspects, but he declined to comment about any specifics.

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