17 months ago, their lives were turned upside down as a mammoth fire ripped through a popular business in southern Lapeer County. On Monday, the Country Smoke House near Almont will be re-opening their doors for retail business, beginning at 8 a.m. The business owners say it was a long 17 months since the fire, but the hard work is worth it. The business, located on Van Dyke Road, between Imlay City and Almont, sustained heavy damage in the fire, despite the efforts of firefighters from multiple fire departments throughout the area. A portion of the business was able to re-open for deer hunting season last fall, but a combination of setbacks, including the ripple effects of COVID-19 and the fire investigation, delayed the re-opening.
