LITTLESTOWN, Pa. — In the small town of Littlestown, Pennsylvania it's been a big week for Kathy Briner.
The owner of Ma’s General Store, which has been a staple in the community, opened her own store for a second time earlier this month.
"This is the perfect location, so I rented this spot," Briner said. "It’s just one minute down the road from where I was before."
Kathy first opened Ma’s General Store more than three decades ago on the edge of town. The original building was a wooden barn initially built in 1875.
A fire in December 2022 burnt down the barn but didn't put out her flame.
"I just love doing this," Briner said. "I want to continue as long as I can."
Continuing is exactly what Briner will do with her new space. At 3920 square feet, it's only half the size of her previous location; however, it makes her feel whole.
"It's fine. It's working out good for me," Briner said. "I'm happy with how everything worked out."
The decision wasn’t without support- the community showed up for her when she needed them most.
“[It] makes me cry," Briner said, holding back tears. "Every day, I get text messages and phone calls and cards. I got hundreds of cards, from customers that came in over the years."
Those supportive customers include the Ressler family, who live near both the old and new Ma's General Store locations.
"We could actually smell the fire at our home," Janelle Ressler recalled.
Ressler and her family have become quite familiar with Kathy, who wished Ressler's three boys good luck
"She's an icon here in Littlestown," Ressler expressed. "And it's great to see that she's rebuilt.”
Many customers came through on Sunday to see the new look and a familiar face behind the counter.
"I'm thankful that she's decided to open back up and make new memories you know," Ressler said.
Richard and Cecilia Hildebrand came to visit the new store all the way from Maryland, after being touched by the immeasurable loss.
“We were just so devastated at her store when she had the fire at her barn," Cecilia said.
The two have been customers for nearly a decade, and have stopped in multiple times since Kathy reopened.
“It's just such a thrill to come up and see everything and everybody that works here at the store," Cecilia said.
They say all the support is a reflection of her impact on the community.
Kathy could have called it quits but, with faith, is pushing forward.
“God was behind me in all this," Briner said. "He brought beauty out of ashes. You know, this store, to me, is just as beautiful as my old store was.”
With the store back, so is a big part of Littlestown.
The new store is located at 314 North Queen Street in Littlestown and is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.