On the morning of January 27, the building housing Newton business Hearz Yer Sign was destroyed by fire. However, it didn’t take long for owner Jamie Nance to find a makeshift space and get back to providing the same quality services for his customers.
Nance is currently running Hearz Yer Sign in a building located at 113 West Church Street in Downtown Newton. With the fire destroying everything, Nance had to purchase new equipment, along with finding a new space to work. And while it’s definitely not as large a space as he had prior to the fire, Nance says he’s still running his business as he did before. “We were shut down a week or two after the fire. By around that second week, I finally got a computer to where I could design again. And we got a laminator, along with a few other things,” said Nance. “We have a printer ordered, so we’re having to outsource some things until it arrives. But we’re still able to offer the same services with good prices, just as before.”
The current plan for Nance is to continue working from his current location for the time being, until he can move his business to a shop that he’s building close to his home in Lawrence. “I’m building a shop on my farm at Nance Hill. It’s something that I had been thinking of doing for a couple of years,” he said. “With my business, it really isn’t a business that requires a walk-in customer. So, I had already started the groundwork before the fire occurred. And at my age, sometimes you just want to be home. It just makes too much sense.”
As far as a timeline for his move, Nance said it could be months to a year before he moves his business due to a lack of internet service at his shop.
Nance said that he’s thankful for the community and his customers for being there for them during the chaotic time after the fire. “I thank and love all of the people that have checked on me, offered help, or offered to donate things,” said Nance. “I’ve had a lot of customers that had no idea about the fire that have sought me out without me telling them how to do so. That means a lot to me.”
Nance added, “I’m also thankful for the businesses, family, and friends, some I don’t see in everyday life, that showed up. And I’m thankful to the Newton Fire Department. They busted their tails to try and stop that fire. I can’t say enough about them and the entire community.”
