By Betsy Brewer Brantner
Contributing Writer

On Wednesday, September 13, 2023, at 11:33 p.m., a devastating fire broke out in historic downtown Oxford, impacting six properties on South Third Street, between Market and Hodgson Street. 

Due to the quick thinking of police officers Scott Richards and Karilanna Eller, who went door-to-door to warn residents of the fire, no lives were lost. Officers arrived on location within two minutes and observed large flames from the roof area of multiple buildings. Officers Eller and Richards quickly went door-to-door evacuating apartment residents. 

The buildings affected were mixed-use structures with retail and commercial establishments on the first floor and residential apartments on the floors above. Approximately 90 people in total were displaced as a result of the devastating fire, which continued into Thursday morning on that fateful day.

On that day Fire Chief Jim Booth was quick to acknowledge the heroic work of the Oxford Police and EMS for their timely response in evacuating the buildings.

“This was certainly one of the worst fires in the Borough,” he said. “The structure and renovations of the buildings in the business district make it difficult when fighting a fire there. There are numerous additions, multiple roofs, and many voids within the building that the fire can jump to. The only way to insure the fire was out was to pull the buildings down. We are amazed that everyone evacuated was unharmed and only one firefighter received a minor injury. It could have been so much worse.”

Booth said the fire was controlled by 4:28 a.m. Thursday morning, but was not actually deemed to be out until around noon on Friday.

Watching from the parking garage above, water poured out of buildings, taking everything with it, reducing a lifetime of memories and dreams into rubble in the street.

At that moment residents, past residents, curious bystanders and business owners flocked to town and looked in disbelief at the debris before them. To say it was a tragedy would be an understatement. 

Now, almost two years later, it is beyond amazing to see the town rising up from the ashes, bigger and better than before. Oxford is coming back.

The grant for the theatre project is still intact and the project to bring a movie theatre back to town will move forward. 

Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. (OMI) spearheaded this project to complete a renovation of the old theater building located in the heart of downtown Oxford. The project received a $2,140,166 Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant award from the PA Office of the Budget in 2022, more than a year before the devastating fire. The Borough is the public grantee for this award. As a result of the devastating fire, four buildings were destroyed, including the historic theatre. The RACP grant will now be allocated to help rebuild the Oxford Theater.

Also secured is grant for Niblock Alley. The Niblock Alley Redevelopment Grant is a public/private partnership. The alley will be redeveloped as a borough‐owned road, with dedicated parking spaces, installed sidewalks and pedestrian amenities, including lighting, benches, trash receptacles, and stormwater improvements. Safety will be enhanced by stabilizing the railroad embankment and installing a decorative fence between Niblock Alley and the railroad. 

Additionally, there are planned improvements to the Broad Street bridge including structural and aesthetic improvements, the addition of a separated and raised sidewalk to increase safety for pedestrians, and decorative wrought iron fencing for increased aesthetics and safety. 

The borough was awarded $1 million in funding from the Chester County Department of Community Development (CCDCD) Community Revitalization Program (CRP) in August of 2023, a $300,000 award from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development's (DCED) Multimodal Transportation Fund (MTF) Program in March of 2024, and an $854,356 award from the PA Department of Transportation MTF Program in August of 2024. The borough is now working with property owners to prepare for final design and project bidding.

Chris Grove, the executive director of the Oxford Chamber of Commerce, is very excited about the future of Oxford.

“In every small town, it’s the local businesses that build the heart of the community,” Grove said. “Neighbors support each other.  After the devastating fire, we saw the best in our community. Since then, progress has happened. Maybe not a quickly as we all hope, but it is moving forward. New businesses have moved into town despite almost a half a block of downtown being destroyed.”

Grove added, “In the next few months, we anticipate the design of the rebuild will be presented.  The Oxford Theatre is moving forward. The small business owners have shown grit since COVID and now the Oxford fire. If that wasn’t enough, add in increased supply costs and labor costs. The small business owners are still working hard to provide the best products with unparalleled customer service. In the next few months, additional businesses are slated to move into Downtown Oxford. I encourage everyone to come downtown, not just on special events, but on the random Tuesday or Thursday.  Your support of our small businesses is what continues to keep and build up the heart of Oxford.”

New businesses continue to move into Oxford, with recent additions including The Yoga Cove,

Ashanti Naturals has moved to a new location from North Third Street to the Artisan’s Alley, the

Outback Trading Company, Jackson and Haines Menswear, Presence Bank moved from their old building to the center of town, Oxford Escapes Spa on Locust Street, Flowers Café, Araceli’s Hair Salon and Volunteer City.

Opening soon is Don Rollo, which is a cinnamon roll space moving into where the Whisky Shack was on S. Third Street. The new location of the Whisky Shack will be at the corner of Market and Third Street, and an ice cream place is expected on Market Street. Paperwork has been approved and they are expected to open soon. DuBarry is also due to reopen its business in late summer.

Local resident Scott Blum is also opening a breakfast place in the old Flickerwood Winery space on Route 472.

The water line improvements on Niblock Alley will certainly help the large buildings in Oxford, such as the former Odds and Ends Building. After water line improvements, that property would be a great home for a restaurant or brewery.

Plans are also moving forward for the buildings that will rise up in place of those destroyed by the fire nearly two years ago.

Grove said, “Good things are happening – it’s slow, but we also have an uncertain economy and the added expenses related to higher tariffs.”

Oxford has battled and made it through the COVID-19 pandemic, a devastating fire and an uncertain economy and tariffs—but the business owners in town still rise. Oxford’s business district is literally rising from the ashes—and making a major comeback.