BETTENDORF, Iowa — In a year filled with uncertainty, a fire at her Bettendorf business was the last thing Gwendolyn Lee expected.
"There's so many questions about so many things I don't even know where to start," Lee said.
Lee owns RubberStamps.net, a manufacturing company in Cumberland Square in Bettendorf.
Lee worked with her father, who initially started a label company. Before moving to a building in Davenport, then to the Bettendorf location, Lee’s father ran the label business out of their home’s basement.
“Then I started the rubber stamp side of the business and then it just kind of took off and we’ve been growing ever since,” Lee said. "This last month was record-breaking for us, and so it's just that much more devastating that now it's just gone."
The office and manufacturing building caught fire on October 25th, and Lee said the building, plus everything inside, is a total loss.
Lee said fire investigators from both the state and her insurance company have not found a cause for why the fire started.
The fire started just after 5 p.m. on that Sunday night. Firefighters from six departments battled the flames, as thick, black smoke filled the sky.
No one was inside the building at the time of the fire, and no one was hurt.
Recalling the phone call when she heard her business was engulfed in flames, Lee said she was devastated.
"I just crumbled," Lee said. "Immediately, employees were rushing over. I didn't even have to call."
Lee took over as the full-time owner of RubberStamps.net within the last six months, right after her parents retired. Now, she's cherishing the memories of life at work before the fire.
"We bring our dogs to the office every day," Lee said. "People bring their kids when, you know, they have days off school, so it’s really heartbreaking to see this, this place we spent so much time at, that was such a haven for me, destroyed."
Lee said she is still looking for a new building for the office and manufacturing space. But, she said the power requirements for equipment makes finding a new location difficult.
As she searches for a new home for her business, Lee said she is filled with gratitude.
"I’m just so overwhelmed and thankful for all the support and everyone wants to know what they can do and that gives me hope," Lee said. "And sometimes I really need that."
Giving her hope, that among the charred remains is a glimmer of light.
Lee started a GoFundMe page to help with finding a new building, paying employees and reopening the business. If you'd like to support RubberStamps.net, you can find a link to their fundraising page here.