Tradewear, a retail store specializing in union-made Carhartt clothing and Kromer caps, is open once again after a fire nearly put it out of business.

Owner Arnie Helwick, a member of Boilermakers Local 647, is back in rehabilitated space in the century-old building at 324 W. Broadway.

Last March 25, a business next door was firebombed in the middle of the night, Helwick said. Old brick walls served as a firestop for his store, but firefighters had to water down upper stories to keep flames from spreading, he said.

Helwick was able to save most of his merchandise, but water damage and plaster collapsing from above made the space he rented unusable.

A friend who owns a commercial laundry professionally washed and ozone-treated the clothing, which Helwick stored until his landlord got the building back in shape. Now, Helwick is selling the 'prewashed' Carhartt gear 'at slightly above cost.'

Helwick has operated Tradewear since 1990, the year after a job injury ended his career as a boilermaker. The store's winter hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays. Tradewear also operates a website at www.tradewear.com. For information, call 612-529-1390.