Community rallies around gym owners after business burns

ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – A fire at the Town & Country Shopping Center Sunday damaged multiple Odessa businesses, including Payne’s Gym. The business had been co-owned by Jason Payne and his wife Laura for about 10 years. The former remembers how he found out about the fire.

“We got the call while we were in church, so we got here and by the time we got to the Y, we could see smoke, and at that time, I knew it was pretty bad,” Jason said.

A demolition crew and officials from the city were at the building site Monday. Laura said the fire affected more than just her family.

“We had a great staff. They worked very hard and I loved them and I’m going to miss them,” she said. “But I’m going to work them through this process right now and make sure they’re taken care of as much as I can help out.”

The gym’s customers were left without a place to work out — but now fellow Odessa gyms, including Classic Iron, Yoke Factory and Fox Fitness are stepping up to help. Other local gym owners in the area have reached out to the Payne family and said the customers of Payne’s Gym can work out there – at no extra cost.

“They’ve really stepped up and helped us out tremendously,” Laura said about the other local gym owners. “They know what we’ve gone through and they know the blood, sweat and tears it takes to run this business and I know they’ll take care of our family.”

The cause of the fire remains unknown and Jason said the damage was too much to determine one. Both Jason and Laura also thanked the firefighters for responding quickly.

Other businesses impacted by the fire include Town & Country Drugstore, Town & Country Barbershop and Aaron’s.

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