09/01/2026
It has taken me a moment to gather my thoughts....
Yesterday was one of those days that you never want to experience. The historic Farmers Hardware building caught fire, and by the grace of God, Main Street Realty Group is still standing, along with the Plaza Barber Shop and other neighboring businesses. We do have some smoke and water damage, and our biggest concern right now is the structural integrity of the shared wall. There is still a lot to figure out, but we will take it one step at a time. At the end of the day, though, this is just stuff. I am so incredibly thankful that there were no injuries. That is what matters most!
It is incredibly hard to stand there and watch something that you have poured years of blood, sweat, tears, love, and hard work into nearly go up in flames. But yesterday, the firefighters did so much more than fight a fire — they saved not only my building, but the WHOLE BLOCK. I cannot even begin to thank every single one of them enough for their bravery and dedication. A simple “thank you” doesn’t begin to express how grateful I am to each of you for jumping into action and putting your lives on the line to protect our town. Lunch on me, coming soon!
A huge thank you to all of the fire departments that responded, the Town of Forest City, the Forest City Police Department, Joe, Alex, and to every single person who showed up and did whatever they could to help get the situation under control. Your efforts did not go unnoticed.
To all of my fellow Realtors who immediately offered me and the agents of Main Street Realty Group a place to work until we get everything sorted out — I appreciate you more than you know. Your willingness to help us during a difficult moment means the world to me.
And to everyone who called, texted, stopped by, prayed, checked on me, or simply reached out to let me know you were thinking about us — thank you from the bottom of my heart. ❤️
We all see the negative comments from time to time about Small Town Friendly not being so friendly. Well, after yesterday’s experience, I can confidently say this: Our community absolutely shows up for each other when it counts!
Yesterday was a powerful reminder of what community really means. When one of us is hurting, people show up. They help. They pray. They open their doors. They stand beside you. And for that, I am more grateful than I could ever put into words. We may have some rebuilding and figuring things out ahead of us, but we are still here — and we are incredibly thankful.
Thank you, Forest City. ❤️
-Kristen
