Carrick business owner picking up the pieces after ceiling collapse

PITTSBURGH — On Christmas morning, Anthony Harris came to his store, UDIGG Apparel in Carrick, to pick up some gifts.

“My whole ceiling fell. Literally, my whole ceiling was just ... on the ground,” Harris said.

Harris found pieces of drywall and other debris, littered on the floor in the back room where he stores his merchandise — hoodies, hats, and other products were left unsalable.

“A lot of merch was damaged, covered in water,” Harris said. “A plumber came out today and told me one of the pipes had burst or something like that. ... It got frozen.”

This happened less than two years after Harris opened his storefront on Brownsville Road. Harris told Channel 11 he has insurance, which will cover some of the cost, and that his landlord is trying to help, hoping to have things repaired sooner rather than later. But he wants to make sure his customers are safe before reopening the doors.

“[We’re] trying to make sure the ceiling and everything is back together, everything is cleaned out. I don’t want to have a situation where a customer is in here [and gets hurt],” Harris said.

But as he works to rebuild, Harris is keeping a positive attitude.

“Whatever obstacles come with it … keep it going, keep your feet moving,” Harris said.

Harris said he doesn’t know exactly when his store will reopen but plans to sell products online in the meantime.

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