By: Guy Occhiogrosso
This Monday morning we woke to the news of Hohl’s – an iconic Bellingham downtown landmark. We were once again reminded of the fragility of business and community. There doesn’t appear to be much info at this point, but honestly it wouldn’t make the pain stop. Today we are mourning a loss of a great jewel. This is a pain that is felt beyond just the facility, one that is extended to the owners, employees, customers, vendors, and fur babies (who called this place a temporary home). It also extends to us and our memories of this special place. Sometimes there are simply not enough words.
We want to thank our city’s first responders – you are truly our finest – and we want to thank the Whatcom Humane Society for your quick action to save some of the lives.
As we move forward as a community, we should be thankful of the special place we have cultivated here. We should appreciate the businesses, organizations, and institutions that help define our community. As we walk past this storefront, it should remind us that community is fragile and we all have a part to play to ensure its sustainability and it’s progress. Our businesses play an important role in this community, and our smaller businesses are sometimes the most delicate. As we move forward, we need to remember other nearby storefronts who have been (and will be) undoubtedly impacted by this tragedy. Our commitment to support our small businesses, our locally owned employers, and downtown storefronts is what helps define us as Bellingham – and what makes this special corner of the world our Bellinghome.
well said and right on…