February 13, 2023 By Carol Britton Meyer
After Mother Nature struck Hingham during the recent record cold blast, pipes in the Artisans in the Square building at 63 South St. burst as a result of the extreme cold, causing major flooding and a collapsed ceiling.
Due to the damage that occurred, the shop is closed until further notice for remediation and repairs.
This March would have marked Artisans in the Square’s 13th anniversary as a Hingham Square business, “so when we announce our grand reopening, we will have much to celebrate!” Fellow Artisans Shari Deasy and Sandi Smith told the Hingham Anchor.
“We’ve all heard that old saying that lightning doesn’t strike twice, but the same may not be said for severe winter weather,” Deasy said. “For the artisans who are members of our cooperative, the extreme weather of the Feb. 4 weekend resulted in a feeling of déjà vu.”
That’s because on February 10, 2015, “during that horrendous winter when we were getting hit with major snowstorms twice a week,” the roof collapsed on the Lincoln Building, causing serious damage to that structure and the adjacent Coop, Smith recalled. At that time, the Artisans shop was forced to shut down for three months while the demolition of the Lincoln Building and the repairs next door were underway.
“Mother Nature struck again last week on Feb 5, when we all suffered through the coldest temperatures we have felt in Massachusetts in more than 100 years,” Deasy said. “The store has been emptied of all its lovely art and artisan crafts while the cleanup gets underway, with the promise that we will reopen as soon as possible.”
In the meantime, if customers need help, they may contact Smith at (617) 827-5298 or email info@artisansinthesquare.com.