Support Building Fire Victim Single Mom

Single Mom Loses Business due to Large Fire in Buckhead Mixed-Use Apartment


A single mom and business owner, Yoon, has been confirmed to have been damaged by a massive fire at the apartment complex "Avana" in Buckhead, Atlanta, on the 19th.

While the four-story residential and commercial apartment building was burnt down due to an unknown fire on the 19th, the cafe "Sip the Experience" on the first floor, which was run by Yoon, was also completely closed.

Yoon is a single mother who raises two children, one son suffering from severe disabilities and a college student.

Yoon said, "A child who can't speak a word can't do anything by himself, such as eating, going to the bathroom, and getting dressed," and added, "Even a very basic job is impossible without help."

In February 2019, Yoon started a coffee shop at Avana.  At first, it was difficult to make profits due to lack of experience and hollowing out nearby offices, but it was getting better after a year.

Yoon said, "But suddenly the COVID-19 Pandemic burst, making it difficult to operate the cafe, and the employees quit their jobs due to COVID-19, so my son and I were barely holding out each day.  My son is college student at Kennesaw University and took a leave of absence from school. From March to June, I was barely able to pay electricity bills because my monthly income was less than $1,000, and it was difficult for me to personally receive government subsidies," Yoon said. "I was hopeful that sales would only recover in August, but I had to shut down the café due to apartment complex building fire and now I have nothing left."

Son said "I barely survived five months with my mother in the midst of the fear of Corona, and I lost everything in one morning,"

Yoon said, "Landlord is currently blocking the entry of the building due to safety issues.  So, we are helpless because we cannot grasp the situation such as equipment and food in the cafe," and added, "We are still in a financial hardship situation where we have not heard anything about business recovery program from the building owners yet.”

Yoon said, "I have been working hard to take care of my son with severe disabilities as a single mom, but there is no solution at all because of the damage and business insurance is not well covered."  She appealed for desperate help.