A family-owned business in Gilbert hopes to reopen soon after a fire in 2021.

Tee Derrick, owner of Derrick’s Service Center,was sitting in his office at 300 Broad St. on April 6, 2021, around 2:15 p.m., when something sparked the gas going into the center’s tank, leading the whole office to burn down. Nearly two years later Derrick and his son, Johnny, are almost back into the building and are a few weeks from being fully operational.

According to Johnny, after the fire, the Gilbert community rallied around the business, offering help and donations, even routinely checking in on the father and son.

“He has been here for so long in the community and as a fixture in the community. A lot of people know him,” Johnny said “He’s helped a lot of people over the years. He used to be a volunteer firefighter.”

Derrick has owned the service station since he built it in 1971, and his son has played a major role in the business, helping them tow and haul cars across the state. Though the fire devastated the business, they never stopped operating, bringing a portable office to the location while rebuilding was underway.

Despite having to build from the ground up after losing everything, including multiple vehicles, some being vintage, the original brick wall still stands and was deemed structurally sound and was included in the new building.

This new building features some changes from the previous, including a more modern look.

“We get to update things a lot more,” Johnny said. “The business was built in 1971 by my father … and he’s run it since then and is still running it and we just got a nicer place now, up to date.”

Some of these updates include new floors, walls, an expanded office area, and the addition of snacks and drinks for customers.

“I’ve been here for 50 years. God has really blessed me,” Tee said. “And He has blessed me since this fire. You know, at one time I thought, 'What will happen?' and look at today, we’re back and he said, 'I’ll never leave you nor forsake you,' and thank God he’s here with me.”