MANCHESTER, Tenn. (WTVF) — The owners of a beloved nostalgia store in Manchester are left wondering what's next. After a fire at their business this weekend, they fear they've lost all they've worked to build.
There's a joy to helping people find things that take them back to their childhood. Wesley Colwell has always had everyone covered at his A Blast to the Past store in Manchester. He's carried movies, comics, toys, records, trading cards, and far more. It's a place he's run with his father.
"Sunday morning, I got a phone call," said Colwell. "Store was on fire. I just sat here and watched what we've worked really hard on for the last five years go up in flames. It was a terrible feeling."
The Manchester Fire Department is investigating what caused this.
"When you know you're building to something bigger, that's what keeps pushing you," Colwell continued. "To see it all gone just pulls you down. What we had amassed took us five years to get here. Every bit of it's gone. It's tough."
Colwell doesn't know what comes next for his store. It's too early to say. He said he can't imagine not matching people with the things they love.
"I had a gentlemen call me today," Colwell said. "He didn't know about what had happened. He had some stuff he wanted me to help him with. That conversation sparked a fire in me. This isn't it. I'm not done. I'm going to continue to do this sort of stuff. The excitement of people when they see this stuff, when they find this stuff is unmatched."
A GoFundMe has been set up for A Blast To The Past. It can be found here.
