Moneek Pines was in an Uber in the Bahamas when she got the call that her business ARTrageous Brush & Flow was on fire. 

The mixed media art studio on the border of Germantown and Mt. Airy sits below an apartment at 6345 Germantown Ave., which caught on fire on Monday, Jan. 27. Pines, who owns the building, kept getting more and more calls before she was able to get in touch with her husband, Jamal Elliott, who rushed over. 

“It didn't even seem real to me,” said Pines, who was in the Bahamas on a cruise, attending a Paint Party Business event. “I was just in shock, I'm like ‘Is this a joke?’ So I called my husband immediately,”

Pines opened the business eight years ago, offering art studio space for pottery and painting, and hosting events and classes. 

As of Friday, Pines had not yet seen the destruction, and told the Local that her husband “wants me to go with him because I know I'm gonna hit a breakdown.”

“It started in the apartment, so they had to cut the hole through the roof, but the fire marshal said it seemed to be an accident,” Pines said. “There was extensive damage to the art studio due to the water with them hosing the apartment down.” 

According to Pines, the ceiling of her studio has been destroyed, and the electricity has been cut while awaiting repairs. 

Amid all the chaos, however, Pines said she is grateful for the overwhelming support she has received from the community. 

“I love Germantown, I love the community,” Pines said. “The outpour of calls and emails that I received has just really warmed my heart. People are saying, ‘Please Moneek you have to rebuild.’ So, yes, we're definitely going to stay in the community and want to rebuild.”

Neighbors, friends and those connected with the local business community called Pines to show their support. Pines made a post about the incident, which was shared on the Mt. Airy/Cedarbrook Community Facebook page. 

The post read “This is so heavy right now. I have no words. Please keep ARTrageous in your hearts, spirits, and prayers. I’m shaking and crying as I write this. Thank you to everyone who called to tell me that our building was on fire.”

“The weight of this is unimaginable, but I know the love and strength of this community will carry us through,” Pines said. “Please hold space for us as we navigate this difficult moment.”

Janis Risch, executive director of the Mt. Airy Business Improvement District (BID), said Pines is an active member of the Mt. Airy business community and sits on her board.

“Moneek is so well-liked and such a fixture in the community, everybody is rooting for her to pull through,” Risch said. 

Risch said the Philadelphia Department of Commerce may be able to help her rebuild through The Merchants Fund, which provides charitable gifts to business persons facing financial hardship.

“I'm sure it's only a matter of time before we find someplace for her to set up temporarily until her building can be restored,” Risch said.

Meanwhile, Pines’ son’s girlfriend, Paige Kieffer, set up a GoFundMe for the studio, which as of Monday, had already raised $5105 of their $6000 goal. Anyone interested in donating can find the page by searching “Help Moneek rebuild ARTrageous” on GoFundMe.com. 

Pines hopes to rebuild relatively quickly. 

“For me, I'm hoping for six months. I know sometimes my husband's like ‘You live in a fantasy world,’ but for me, that would be great,” Pines said. “From what I’ve seen of the visuals of it, and I'm not a contractor, I would hope within a year, but I’m keeping fingers crossed praying that it could be reopened in six months.”

As she looks to rebuild, Pines plans to host virtual and mobile parties, while her studio is closed. She's also looking for a temporary space for her business.

“I know it's going to be a hard road, but I have a very positive mindset and I know that everything is going to be okay,” Pines said.