Resale store fire closes downtown Vallejo businesses

VALLEJO – A two-alarm fire that started early Monday morning at the Buy, Sell and Trade shop in downtown Vallejo has closed several adjacent businesses. 

The fire department was dispatched to the fire at 614 Marin St. at 1:06 a.m. Firefighters were able to quickly stop the flames from spreading to other areas of the building but a burst water line damaged neighboring business. 

Fire department spokesperson Aaron Klauber said that the cause of the fire is still under investigation but they suspect that the fire was caused by a malfunction of the charger or the battery of an e-bike. Klauber said that the department recommends reviewing safety information on preventing lithium-ion battery fires when purchasing or charging a device.

Smoke filled the entire building and deposited soot on surfaces throughout. The extensive damage will close all the businesses on the east side of Marin Street from Indian Alley to Georgia Street. 

The Buy, Sell and Trade shop took the brunt of the damage and its interior was gutted. But the smoke and water damage also closed Momo’s Cafe, the Factory 953 barbershop, the Gallo De Oro jewelry shop, and the Don Ramon taqueria.

The owner of the Buy, Sell and Trade shop would often roll out racks of clothes onto the sidewalk and set out items of interest to entice shoppers adding an element of exploration to downtown events like Art Walk. 

The interior of the store was a treasure trove for rummagers with tight aisles and racks along the walls that reached close to the ceiling. Shoppers could find tools, toys, furniture, jewelry and old postcards, among other things, in the unique and sometimes cluttered store.

Manny Melendrez, owner of Momo’s Cafe, which is around the corner on Georgia Street, said that the entire restaurant will need to be thoroughly cleaned and all the food that he has stored in the building will need to be thrown out because of contamination from the smoke and soot. 

Melendrez also said that this is not a great time for his business to be closed down because as is often the case with restaurants, the beginning of the year has been slow. On top of that he said the price of eggs has really affected the profit margin, putting the business in a difficult spot. He said that the businesses will really need community support to weather the clean-up and repair period and he would be happy to accept donations.

The Factory 953 barbershop right next to the Buy, Sell & Trade shop received the brunt of the water damage from a ruptured water line. Owner Israel Reyes Herrera said that he has been open for three months and he was just starting to build up clientele. He said he does not yet have a plan for how to mitigate his losses.

The Don Ramon taqueria on the corner of Marin and Georgia posted a notice on the business’s Instagram account stating they would be closed due to the heavy smoke damage from the fire. “Everything will likely have to be replaced and inspections/clean-up has to be done before we can re-open,” the post said.