South Buffalo family business decides not to rebuild after fire

A longtime South Buffalo countertop manufacturer has decided not to reopen after a devastating fire in January.

Blume's Solid Surface Products offices, fabrication space and equipment along Freeport Road were destroyed.

The owners, Gus and Dottie Blume and their children Michelle Goetzinger and Gus Blume Jr., at first vowed to rebuild but ultimately decided to close up shop.

My wife and I are past retirement age, and we looked at the scope of what all it would take to reopen, said Gus Blume of Springdale. And we decided we didn't have the energy for that.

After 27 years in business, it was one of the most difficult decisions they've ever had to make.

It's one thing to open a brand-new shop when you're small, but to reopen at the size we were at, it was too daunting of a task, said Goetzinger, of Vandergrift. We would have to rebuild the building, and it takes six months for some of the equipment to get set up.

The Jan. 13 fire that destroyed the business was sparked by an electrical problem in the engine or dashboard of a box truck parked at the loading dock.

High winds that night whipped the flames to the building, which went up quickly.

Blume's announced its decision not to reopen on its Facebook page.

With great sadness and heavy hearts Blume's is announcing that we do not intend to reopen, the posting said. We want to thank all of our employees, customers and vendors.

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South Buffalo family business decides not to rebuild after fire