‘So grateful.’ Lexington nonprofit finds new home after downtown fire damaged old space
After its previous office space was destroyed by a fire that burned for hours, the Lexington Writer’s Room has found a new home.
The nonprofit organization announced on Wednesday that it has signed a lease to move into the former original location for Common Grounds Coffee House located on East High Street. The group will move into the new space in the coming months.
“We are so grateful to our local community and to the larger writing world for its support during this difficult time,” said co-founder and Lexington Writer’s Room Board Chair Lisa Haneberg in a Facebook post. “We remain as committed as ever to our mission of supporting local writers with workspace, space for events, and a robust writing community.
“We are doubly thrilled to be able to move into such a beloved building—one where many of us have written in the past.”
March 31’s destructive fire at an old downtown building on the corner of West Second and North Upper streets displaced multiple businesses in the building, including the Lexington Writer’s Room. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but investigators believe the fire sparked accidentally.
Since the incident, the Lexington Writer’s Room has raised over $12,000 through donations and is working to replace the items lost in the fire.
“It has been so heartening to see people step up with financial support for our mission,” Gwenda Bond, co-founder of the organization and a board member, said in a Facebook post. “Our needs continue, so we invite everyone to keep spreading the word as we work toward moving into our new space. Kentucky has a special literary tradition and we plan to be part of it for a long time to come.”
Common Grounds Coffee House closed its East High Street location after facing difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. The coffee shop closed its doors at the end of May 2021. The owners said they were hopeful to find another location downtown in the Main and Limestone area with lower rent.
Common Grounds still has several other Lexington locations open.
