The Richardson General Store on the south end of Lopez Island was destroyed in a fire over the weekend. Nearby fuel tanks were saved.

LOPEZ ISLAND LOSES
RICHARDSON STORE TO FIRE

Seattle PI Oct 25-31 or Nov 1-5 1990

Richardson General Store on Lopez Island, one of the San Juan Islands’ landmark buildings, burned to the ground Saturday night in a wind-whipped fire that is still under investigation.

Fire crews continued working on hot spots yesterday after the first major fire on Lopez in five years.

“The store is totally gone,” said Larry Schulze, Lopez Island fire chief. “It will be a real loss. But no one was injured, and we did save the fuel tanks.”

Historic Richardson Store, located at the south end of the island three miles east of McKay Harbor, was a favorite stop for bicyclists and local residents. But the store also had six fuel tanks that held the island’s main supply of heating oil, diesel and regular automobile gasoline and fuel for commercial fishing boats.

As 30-knot winds fanned the store fire, firemen fought to keep the tanks from blowing up, Schulze said.

The fire department was called at 8:55 p.m. By the time fire fighters arrived, the store was completely consumed and “our whole job was to protect the fuel tanks and nearby homes,” Schulze said.

Ken and Sue Shaw, who have owned and operated the store for the last 12 years, said it was too early to say whether they will rebuild. “We haven’t crossed that bridge yet,” Ken Shaw said.

Neither Shaw or fire officials had damage estimates. “It was a total loss,” he said.

Built in 1917, the store was on the national register of historic places.