Rent-to-own News - Easy 2 Own re-opens after fire disaster number two

Easy 2 Own recently re-opened after a second devastating fire.

Easy 2 Own of Bluffton South Carolina is back on its feet after a devastating fire.

Again.

The store re-opened recently after a robber firebombed the building after stealing around $750 worth of electronics in November 2010.

The rent to own store was one of five businesses torched in the crime spree. Heavy smoke damage resulted in a total loss to the showroom, and forced the store to gear back to temporary operations run out of its storeroom in the back.

This most recent disaster came on the heels of a 2008 electrical fire that was so hot that it melted flat screens on the wall 100 feet away. Fortunately the insurance company and Easy 2 Own's lessor worked closely together to expedite the recovery and rebuilding process that forced Easy 2 Own to close its doors a mere two years after opening.

The company opened a temporary location nearby and moved back into the rebuilt location in May 2009.

Recovering from two disastrous fires within two years has given Easy 2 Own owners Hope and Albert Entwistle a new appreciation for their insurance provider.

"What we learned is that it is very important that you know your insurance coverages and what you will need in the event of a catastrophe," Entwistle said. "It is unpleasant to plan for a tragedy, but being prepared can save a lot of time and money. If you are in leased premises, it is important for you to know the coverages your landlord provides, to ensure the property and contents are totally covered between the two insurance companies. It is essential you have a quality agent that understands the RTO business."

The Entwistles credit Bob Scott of RTO Insurance, as being "most helpful through our two tragedies."

He said Easy 2 Own recently added unbreakable glass, window and door security via ProGuard and that the arsonist was apprehended partially as a result of his video surveillance system.

"It is hard to fathom what our business has been through," he's said, "but we have been diligent in our efforts, and hopefully that will reward us."