It's always sad to mention a landmark destroyed by fire, and here I am touching base regarding just that topic in the Pacific NW. Anyone who has traveled WA State Highway 2 over the Cascade Mountains and into the Bavarian Village of Leavenworth has drove within fifty feet of the Alps candy and gift shop once located in Tumwater Canyon of the Wenatchee River Valley.No one, except an arsonist, ever expects a fire. That was the case for Archie Marlin, owner of the Alps - an unexpected fire. Archie he smelled smoke Friday morning after arriving to find the power out. The smoke and fire drove him out of the building and he was unable to save the 600 recipes he's created in over 35 years of work. Rebuilding will be as much a task of memory as saws, lumber & hammers.
Initial reports were that the retail shop had suffered smoke and some fire damage. But as we made our way over the Cascades the afternoon after the initial blaze, Archie's candy & gift shop had rekindled and in the end was fully destroyed. Initially he had stated that the business was insured and he had hoped to reopen as soon as possible. Archie's father started the business in 1961.
Initial reports were that the retail shop had suffered smoke and some fire damage. But as we made our way over the Cascades the afternoon after the initial blaze, Archie's candy & gift shop had rekindled and in the end was fully destroyed. Initially he had stated that the business was insured and he had hoped to reopen as soon as possible. Archie's father started the business in 1961.
Before the fire photo 2007.
This is the Alps Candy Store in the aftermath of the first portion of the fire the morning of March 6th, 2009. The fire rekindled later in the day and burned the remainder of the building into the basement. It was a total loss for the owner. 
From my private collection of photos: this image captured in November, 2007 of the small lake on the Wenatchee River just downstream of the Alps candy & gift shop (double click image for larger view). I shot this photo from the deck of the Alps.
For the Wenatchee World new article:
Tumwater Canyon & the Wenatchee River:
The village of Leavenworth WA:
2 comments:
it's sad that the owner of Th Alps couldn't save his recipes.
A nice pic of the river you took!
Jeannette,
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Foster
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