HASTINGS, NE — The future of a downtown Hastings institution is in question.

The Bert’s Pharmacy building has loomed over the northwest corner of 2nd and Hastings since 1895, but it might have met its match on Sunday, March 13th.

Tom Choquette has owned the business since 1982. Family alerted him to the fire in the middle of the night and he stepped outside his house three miles away.

“I could smell smoke and I thought, that’s my building on fire. It’s hard to process," Choquette said. "It was just - I don’t remember the ride down to the store, I just remember smoke… all kinds of things are running through your mind.”

The Fire Marshal says the blaze started with the wiring in a neon sign. It spread and caused more than $1 million in damage. 

“We’re fortunate nobody was injured, but there’s a lot of pain and agony," Choquette said. "It’s just mental pain and mental stress on a lot of people.”

About the only thing still in good shape is the iconic Rexall Drugs sign, which is more than 50 years old.

Next door at M&M Designs, it’s another workday of tossing out inventory.

“In some way or another, we’ve been here working or I’ve been at home going over paperwork," owner Connie Whitcomb said. "So, yeah… it’s been non-stop.”

Connie Whitcomb’s boutique didn’t see flames, but smoke stained everything and water damaged the walls. She got to her business the morning after the fire.

“It was just sad, sad, I cried. Just so sad," Whitcomb said. "I couldn’t get in the building right away and then they did let us for about five minutes just to get anything of monetary value.”

She couldn’t save much of anything, including some of her mom’s homemade items.

“It was just like… just a meltdown,” Whitcomb said.

The next step? Waiting to hear back from insurance.

“Right now we just gotta get through this step and see if we start over. It’s going to be a hard decision what to do,” Whitcomb said.

Same goes for Choquette, who was able to transfer all patient records to his other location. 

“I have a decision to make, whether we rebuild or tear it down and move forward with an investment group, a city group or whatever," Choquette said. "We’ll have to cross that bridge when we get there.”

While the business owners wait in limbo, the community hasn’t. Hastings has stepped up to support the people behind the historic buildings.

“The support’s been unbelievable from all over the state," Choquette said. "I’ve had pharmacists call wanting to come and work if we needed help, we’ve had people bring food, all the prayers and cards, it’s just been unbelievable.”