St. Paul pharmacy steps up to help residents displaced by Mac-Groveland apartment fire

When a fire destroyed an apartment building in St. Paul's Mac-Groveland neighborhood Monday, the family behind St. Paul Corner Drug knew they wanted to help. The family opened the pharmacy to residents displaced by the fire, offering basic necessities free of charge, along with gift cards and cash donated by the community. "We just keep finding ways that we can fill a need here, and we think a pharmacy can and should do that when it can," Registered Nurse and Creative Director of St. Paul Corner Drug Hildie Hoeschen said. For the Hoeschen family, the effort is personal. Twenty-one years ago, they experienced a devastating house fire of their own. An electrical fire destroyed their home on Osceola Avenue during Fourth of July weekend in 2005. Hilde was 10 years old at the time. "This hits especially close to home for our family," she said. "We were immediately surrounded by community." Now, the family is paying that kindness forward. "It just feels like the least we can do, to do that for the people who are in the same position as we were," Hoeschen said. Brenna Kjellberg is among the residents displaced by Monday's fire. She spent Thursday morning picking up supplies at Hoeschen's store. "Literally lost everything but my dog. So I have nothing," Kjellberg said. "So for people to show up like this and offer what they can is like the most incredible thing ever." As she begins the process of starting over, Kjellberg said the outpouring of support has given her encouragement. "Just to see that people want to show up with kindness is one of the most beautiful things I've ever experienced," she said. For the Hoeschen family, the response reflects what being part of a neighborhood is all about. "I want to live in a neighborhood where that's just what we do," Hoeschen said. "Once you need that kind of community, you realize how valuable it is." In: St. Paul Fire Featured Local Savings