Two Swampscott businesses displaced by fire may relocate

SWAMPSCOTT – For the businesses destroyed in a March 2 fire, their former location was pretty tough to beat. But now two of those enterprises may be able to move in right next door.No one was injured in the early morning blaze, but the fire completely leveled residences and six businesses at 128-140 Humphrey St.: Raina’s Hair Color Café, Peter’s Custom Tailoring, J&I Custom Draperies and Upholstery, the offices of Giovannucci Brothers Inc. Custom Carpentry and Remodeling Services, Jessica’s Nail Salon and Spa and The Sea Side Café. Since the fire, Raina’s Hair Color Cafe and Giovannucci Brothers consolidated operations to other properties they own and Peter’s Custom Tailoring recently signed a lease in Humphrey Plaza.Now real-estate investors Dana Newell and Robert Chilton of Humphrey Street Properties and Coldwell Banker Signature Homes have offered to provide the owners of J&I Custom Drapery and Upholstery and Jessica’s Nail Salon and Spa with discounted space in the building next to their former location.”Times are hard for all of us and they have lost everything,” explained Newell, who said that he would offer 20 percent off the rental price in addition to a couple of months of free rent to the businesses. “We have some vacancies coming up and we want to help out and make our ends meet at the same time. We felt, ?you know what, this is the right thing to do.'””The guy has a heart, I tell you,” said Lizete Alcalai, of Sagan Realtors who has been helping several of the businesses examine shared commercial space, temporary trailers and individual commercial spaces in the wake of the fire. “He was so compassionate to the businesses.”Irma Jimenez, owner of J&I Custom Drapery and Upholstery, said she was optimistic – and nervous – about the opportunity to sign a five-year lease for 148 Humphrey St., where Addicted Boutique is currently located. Jimenez has been operating out of her home and trying to inform her clients that she is still in business. However, she said, without a storefront, she has no walk-in customers.”I kind of feel a little scared after all I’ve been through, I feel like I’m starting all over again,” she admitted. “But I like the space. It definitely might work. It’s practically the same address, so it will be familiar to clients.”If Jessica’s Nail Salon and Spa signs a lease for the 900 square-foot space at 158 Humphrey St., the location will be familiar not only to owner Jessica Xion’s clients, but also familiar to Xion herself. The location formerly housed Fantasy Nails, where Xion worked before opening her own business.”I can’t believe I would go back to the same spot where I worked before!” Xion said. But she also said she would need a financial partner to help with the costs of opening a new store. She had no business insurance and lost everything in the fire. Meanwhile, she is seeing clients at Artistic Nails and saving up for a future location.”I’m not ready yet? and it’s not the ideal place; it wasn’t the ideal place,” Xion said. “But I’m thinking about it.”