Business Solutions for Spring 2018

4 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 BUSINESS spotlight Determined to Salvage the Business Anita Noel says, “The fire was initially heart wrenching, but the support we received from the community—neighbors, businesses, and others—was remarkable. The Staunton Fire Department worked with 12 other fire departments to put out the blaze. They were instrumental in our business being able to stay open. The firefighters even helped us salvage a lot of wet paperwork on our desks and in cabinet drawers. Every sheet of paper was precious to us, and we laid each one out, piece by piece, to dry. Thankfully, the car titles were in a safe and not damaged.” Noel is also grateful for the fast response from Madison Communications, located just about a mile away from Country Classic Cars. “Madison came by first thing in the morning after the fire to install temporary service drops, temporary phone and internet jacks, and a new modem. We had our cell phones but needed our business phone line back up. Not having phone service would have made callers think we were closed, since news of the fire was everywhere. We needed continuity in order to salvage our business. Although we had less inventory to sell, none of our employees missed any work. We just kept going, and Madison helped us do it. That meant so much,” she notes. Madison technicians later set up services in a trailer on the property, and after the new main building was finished, returned to complete the inside wiring and connect the phone and inter- net services there. During the evening of August 8, 2017, a four-alarm fire ravaged Country Classic Cars in Staunton. The flames destroyed five buildings, including the 26,000-square foot main building and the 142 collector cars housed within it. An additional six cars parked outside sustained smoke damage. What wasn’t destroyed in the fire was the fighting spirit of the dealership’s owners, Russ and Anita Noel. Country Classic Cars The Staunton dealership kept going after fire struck in 2017 Owner Anita Noel