103 S. St. Asaph St.
The building at 103 S. St. Asaph St. housed Madam Coco's Emporium & Everything Chocolate, the Friends to Lovers romance bookstore (that just opened a few days ago) and Little Birdies boutique. All three suffered significant damage.
The bookstore, which had a line out the door Saturday on its opening weekend, has launched a GoFundMe campaign.
"We are still waiting on details as to the extent of the damage, but what we do know is our current building won’t be operational for at least the rest of the year, and most likely longer," according to the bookstore's owner, Jamie Fortin. The funds will go toward rebuilding or opening in a new space as soon as possible.
Little Birdies, which was on the ground floor of the building, lost all of its merchandise and has also launched a GoFundMe to recover, Fortin said.
According to the Alexandria Fire Department, 53 firefighters responded to the fire, which started shortly before 11 p.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
In an Instagram post, Fortin wrote, "On the night of November 17, Friends to Lovers bookstore in Alexandria, VA, sustained extensive smoke damage from a fire in our building. While we’re still waiting on details about the full extent of the damage, we do know our current space won’t be operational for the rest of the year—and most likely longer. We’ve created a GoFundMe to help us rebuild, and if you’d like to support, you can find the link in our bio. We’re also committed to supporting our neighbors who were also affected by this fire. We’re working tirelessly to bring Friends to Lovers back to life because this community means the world to us. Thank you for your kindness and support during this time.
With love,
Jamie, Owner, Friends to Lovers"
