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Longtime Philly Pizza Shop Owner 'Heartbroken' After Building Collapse

The longtime owner of a Philadelphia pizza shop says she is heartbroken after a building collapse forced her to close the business and lay off her employees.

Sharon Labens Garro has owned Key Food Pizza in Philadelphia's Fishtown neighborhood for 26 years.

Sharon Labens Garro has owned Key Food Pizza in Philadelphia's Fishtown neighborhood for 26 years.

Photo Credit: GoFundMe/inset: Sharon Labens Garro (Facebook)

Sharon Labens Garro has been the owner of Key Food Pizza in the Fishtown neighborhood for nearly three decades. 

"In the past 26 years I have raised my 4 children here," Garro wrote in a post published on a local Facebook group page.

"I have seen many customers grow up and to now see them have children of their own. My employees are my family and I am heart broken for what happened today. We will miss our customers tremendously."

Video being live-streamed on Citizen showed the collapse of the three-story building, home to the pizza shop and apartments above at Memphis and E York streets around 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14.

The building was unoccupied and no injuries were reported, the fire department said.

Garro said in the post that the building next door was under construction. However, whether or not this contributed to the collapse is still being investigated.

Though she is committed to rebuilding and reopening, Garro is asking for the public's help in supporting eleven of her workers who are now unemployed through no fault of their own. 

"These people have homes and families to support," she wrote on a GoFundMe.

"For all the dedication my staff has shown to me over the years, I would love nothing more than to support them at this difficult time."

The page had raised more than $1,200 as of Saturday, Sept. 17.

Click here to view/donate to the GoFundMe.

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