Richmond vendors lose thousands after night market fire, highlight insurance gap
Two stall owners estimate losses of $8,000 to $10,000 each after Sunday's fire destroyed 14 retail tents. Neither had business insurance coverage.
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Two vendors at Richmond Night Market are urging other small business owners to buy comprehensive coverage after losing tens of thousands of dollars in a fire that destroyed 14 retail stalls on Sunday, June 28.
Sharanya Gunah, co-owner of Arvsha Designs, a 3D-printed product business, arrived at the market around 2:45 p.m. to find her booth three-quarters destroyed. Most of her 3D-printed inventory—fidget toys, animals, and display pieces—melted and became unsalvageable. She estimates the loss at $8,000 from months of work.
"Everything we lost is coming directly out of our family's pocket, with nothing to fall back on," Gunah said.
Vintage clothing seller Athena Lau lost her entire hand-curated inventory, including racks and booth fixtures prepared months in advance. Both vendors had only liability insurance, which covers customer injury at their booths but does nothing for their own merchandise or equipment.
Richmond Night Market requires vendors to carry liability insurance. Neither Gunah nor Lau had business property coverage, and both are now rebuilding through GoFundMe campaigns. Gunah said moving forward, she and her husband will pack everything up at the end of each market day rather than leave inventory overnight—trading convenience for peace of mind.
