DULUTH — Lake Superior Medical Equipment is ready to reopen Monday following the fire that claimed its previous location last fall.
The locally owned and operated home health care equipment company was founded in 2002. Its president, Tom Jamison, of Duluth, purchased the company with locations in Duluth and Cloquet in March 2015.
The Duluth site operated out of the store and warehouse located at 522 E. Fourth St. until Sept. 14, when a fire destroyed the building, owned by Dick Slotness.
The business was closed at the time of the fire and no employees were present. Resident Paul Brown alerted residents on the top floor of the building about the fire, allowing them to evacuate safely as firefighters and other first responders arrived at the scene.
"Once we realized all the employees were long out of the building when the fire erupted and that no firefighters were injured, it changes your whole perspective on things. Everything that was lost in the fire was stuff and can be replaced," Marketing Director Yvonne Myers said.
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Although no one was injured, Jamison said the business lost inventory exceeding $400,000, in addition to a delivery van. Following the fire, Lake Superior Medical Equipment received an outpouring of community support, Myers said.
"Our world had been turned upside down, but we really wanted to avoid an impact to patients and customers," Jamison said.
Business and staff were temporarily transferred from Duluth to the Cloquet location at 901 Stanley Ave. to minimize disruption.
"It was very challenging just getting our entire business relocated to Cloquet. We had to relocate people that were working at the Duluth location. There were a lot of adjustments working from a smaller space," Jamison said.
About a dozen staff began working from the office which was previously occupied by three.
"I can't say enough about the great team we have," Jamison said. "When something like this happens, you find out really how strong of a team you have."
Lake Superior Medical Equipment recently signed a long-term lease with UDAC , a nonprofit serving individuals with disabilities.
The new West Duluth space in the Bullyan Center at 4730 Mike Colalillo Drive is roughly 6,000 square feet, similar in size to the previous Lake Superior Medical Equipment site in Duluth. However, it will be laid out quite differently, Jamison said.
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There will be improved parking, a newer show floor for medical equipment and supplies, and an enhanced CPAP fitting area.
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