Port Townsend: Investigators seeking clues to cause of fire

Published 12:01 am Thursday, August 7, 2003

PORT TOWNSEND — Some treasured artifacts are being recovered from the charred remains of Aldrich’s grocery, 940 Lawrence St.

The historic, three-story building that housed the store was gutted by an early Monday morning fire.

Owners Jonathan Ryweck and David Hamilton have promised to rebuild.

Among well-known items documenting Aldrich’s heritage, an antique wooden phone booth, a butcher block and scales have been pulled from the wreckage.

The Abundant Life Seed Foundation, which occupied space above the grocery store, is celebrating some recoveries of its own.

A few of the precious seeds the organization stored may be recovered, foundation Director Matthew Dillon said Wednesday.

“It’s a small percentage of our overall collection, but it’ll be something,” he said.

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The rest of the story appears in the Thursday Peninsula Daily News.