GATLINBURG, Tenn. – Chirping and beeping filled the air as Marion Paul fired up her Gatlinburg video arcade Monday, the first time she’s seen her business since deadly wildfires set much of the city ablaze a week ago. Sooty floors needed dusting. Spoiled food had to be tossed. Otherwise, she was set to reopen.
While several Gatlinburg areas resembled a war zone, the main business drag in this popular Tennessee tourist site was spared by the fast-moving flames.
A week ago on Monday, hurricane-force winds whipped up fires that killed 14 people and damaged or destroyed almost 1,700 buildings in the Great Smoky Mountains tourist region, carving a selective path that turned some buildings to rubble and at times left their neighbors unharmed.
As they gear up for Gatlinburg to reopen to the public as early as midweek, some businesses that were largely untouched are eager for a quick reopening in a crucial holiday season. Others that weren’t as lucky have begun planning to rebuild.
“I mean, it’s just a miracle because all of the businesses here (downtown), from what I can see, are saved,” said Paul, owner of Fannie Farkle’s arcade. “It’s been a week today. But we’re lucky to have our lives.”