BEAVER CREEK — Beaver Creek community members were disappointed to learn that Walmart had closed Tuesday.
A Walmart spokesperson announced the store would reopen on Wednesday, two days after the fire broke out.
News Center 7’s Malik Patterson spoke to people who wanted to shop but were turned away.
>>Previous article: Walmart announces plans to reopen Beavercreek store after Monday’s fire
“We’re sorry we’re closed,” a Walmart employee told people approaching the store Tuesday.
For hours, Walmart employees had to turn away people approaching the door.
When asked if the shutdown had made them feel depressed, some said yes.
>>Previous coverage: Suspect identified after ‘suspicious’ fire closes Beavercreek Walmart, police say
“I’m going to buy a birthday present for my grandson, but the store is closed,” said one shopper.
Customers who stopped by to shop said the closure was just an inconvenience on a daily basis.
“I needed to go to the outdoor section. I needed a two-stroke fuel mix for my chainsaw. I got some firewood to cut. Firewood season is almost here,” customer Jeff Felzien said.
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The Beavercreek Walmart announced on Facebook that it would be closed as crews work to clean up damage from the fire.
Investigators said the smoke and flames inside the store came from the crafts section.
Customers weren’t the only ones affected. In fact, vendors working outside of Walmart were unable to work Tuesday.
Jacob Long is a salesman at the Beavercreek Walmart and wonders what kind of damage the fire caused.
>>Previous article: Local Walmart forced to close overnight after fire
“What I’m saying is, as long as they do their job of thoroughly cleaning everything out, it won’t be that bad,” Long said.
Long is responsible for cleaning large iceboxes at Walmart, and he hopes his staff did a good job Tuesday.
“So there might be a little bit of soot on the fan, but that’s easy to clean,” Long said.