DETROIT – A family-owned business that’s been serving the community for decades has been severely damaged after someone set it on fire Monday morning.
S & C Glass sits on the the intersection of Gratiot and Marcus avenues, and between 6 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., someone started a fire that engulfed most of the building.
“Just got a call this morning. It was unexpected,” said owner Curtis Sylvester. “My father started out the business in 1974 and I took over the business in 2004. Right now, I’m in disbelief. I’m lost for words.”
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For nearly 50 years, the business has been offering affordable prices to the area. But now there’s nothing inside but debris. Sadly, Sylvester’s worried he won’t be able to pass the family business down another generation.
“I’m just trying to get it back to running standards so I can provide for my family because this is the way I eat and I’m serving the community at the same time,” he said.
Unfortunately, with the pandemic and other financial hardships, Sylvester doesn’t have any insurance.
“Just can’t afford it. I can’t afford it with the times we living in now. I wish I could but I can’t,” he said.
It will be a lengthy rebuilding process but in the end he’s hoping the community he’s served for so long can give him answers as to who would want to destroy the building.
“All I can do is pray right now. Hopefully we can get down to the bottom of it, you know,” he said.