Chapters Books and Gifts, Seward, Neb., has begun rebuilding its original location after months occupying a temporary space. Nebraska Now reported that both the construction crew on site and owner Kelly Limback "are hopeful the refurbished store will be stronger than before."
Limback bought the bookstore last January, but in early August the building sustained significant damage because of severe weather, with the exterior brick wall separating from the structure, rendering it structurally unsound.
"There were bricks all over the ground, and part of the decorative molding was on the street," she recalled. "But when I got to the store, I realized nothing had been damaged inside.... They told me to get everything out right away. More storms are coming. We've got to move."
Limback told Nebraska Now that moving the entire store's inventory had required a lot of workforce and organization, yet all items were moved out by that afternoon, due in large part to the community that rallied around her. The bookstore soon reopened in a temporary space and has been there ever since.
The building's owner worked to secure a crew to begin construction, "but masonry work isn't so common, so that was a big hurdle," Limback noted. Construction crews have now broken ground for the refurbishment, but she is not sure when the original location will open again.