Fire-Damaged Bunch of Grapes Closed for Foreseeable Future

July 10, 2008

Bunch of Grapes bookstore on Martha's Vineyard, which was severely damaged by a fire on July 4, will be rebuilt, according to a July 10 account in the Martha's Vineyard Times. As of Monday, Jon Nelson, the store's owner, had yet to see the damage in person, due to a recent move to Texas, but the newspaper reported that he had asked Steve Fischer, executive director of the New England Independent Booksellers Association, to express his intentions to rebuild at a meeting of Tisbury selectmen and local business owners.

At press time, Bunch of Grapes manager Katherine Fergason told BTW that she and the owners were meeting with the business' insurance company and couldn't yet discuss plans regarding the future of the bookstore, but would provide an update as soon as possible. The Bunch of Grapes website informs visitors: "Due to a very serious fire, the bookstore is closed for the foreseeable future! We will update the website as more information is available."

Building owner Ann Nelson and her son, Jon, received hundreds of expressions of sympathy and support from their local community, as well as from friends and colleagues in the book industry, who were able to witness efforts to battle the blaze on Plum TV. The fire started in a neighboring business, Cafe Moxie restaurant, which was destroyed.

According to the Vineyard Gazette, volunteer firefighters from several nearby towns responded to the fire, which burned all day. Following an inspection of the building, Fire Chief John Schilling told the Gazette that, although Bunch of Grapes had been seriously damaged, the building would not have to be demolished. Ann Nelson, who owned the bookstore before passing it to her son, Jon Nelson, offered thanks for the "outpouring of sympathy and support that I have received from the entire Island community," the Gazette reported.

Topics: News - Bookselling, About Bookstores,