Before there was an Arts District, there was the Attic, a two-story emporium of antiques and vintage fashion that opened in 1992. The colorful building settled like a piece of confetti on Main Street, a drab block of automotive repair shops and bail bondsmen. And it thrived, building a regular clientele of local customers and national celebrities.

The business even survived the first three years of the Great Recession. Then, on July 10, 2010, an explosion at the NV Energy sub-station next store knocked the Attic off its feet. Literally. The explosive force pushed the building off its foundation.

Th Attic relocated to a smaller building across the street. But the new space was less than a third the size of the original, and owner Myra Politis had to put much of her inventory in storage. Business declined and Politis was never able to reach an agreement with NV Energy, which denies responsibility. Politis waged a public relations war against the utility, plastering the old building with comic strip rant about her plight. Last month, she went on a hunger strike.

Today she announced the Attic is closing. It’s not unexpected; she’s been broadcasting her misfortune for a year and a half. But it’s still sad. If it weren’t for the explosion, the Attic would still be standing. Nobody has come forward to make it right for Politis. Her attorney, Matthew Callister, filed a lawsuit against NV Energy and Southwest Gas. It might not bring the business back, but at least it might repair some of the damage that has been done.