Nitro Supermarket to reopen as ‘Cook’s Nitro Market’ in coming weeks

NITRO, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A late-night fire in August at the Nitro Supermarket made its future uncertain, leaving the community without a designated grocery store for half a year.

With few updates during the last six months a sign which appeared in front of the store in January that read “open soon” left passersby wondering what was going on inside the building.

Pending inspection from fire officials, the store will reopen as Cook’s Nitro Market on March 1.

WSAZ spoke exclusively with the store’s owner, Vanessa Cook, and got a first-hand look at renovations.

Cook said she did not know what to think when she learned about the fire

“I was just actually shocked because I thought the whole place burnt,” she said. “It was actually just contained to the workspace near the produce area, so there was more smoke damage than anything, and that’s kind of why it had to be a little gutted.”

Cook said it’s an emotional process to take over a building with so much history but is excited to bring an accessible store back to Nitro.

“I am very, very, excited and scared to death, but it’ll do good because I’m just someone who wants to be able to raise my kids and write a check without worrying if it’ll bounce,” Cook said. “Nitro needs employees, everybody needs employees and that right there excited me that I could help these people to maybe push themself even further, and I am always happy to teach anybody anything so that they can advance themselves.”

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