Regina's Miyosiwin Salon hoping for a comeback after massive fire next door at Lang's

Miyosiwin Salon owner Jennifer Dubois said walking into her business after a fire destroyed neighbouring Lang's Cafe was a surreal and devastating experience. 

"It's hard to accept at first and still hard," Dubois said.

Regina's first Indigenous hair salon opened its doors just last year, offering cuts and colours with cultural sensitivity and respect.

"We were doing so well. And, you know, just building on our reputation and our impact on the community," she said. 

The fire started last Wednesday morning and completely destroyed Lang's Cafe. 

Surrounding businesses, including Wonderland arcade and Miyosiwin Salon, remain standing but suffered substantial damage from water and smoke. 

"The next day that we came back, driving up the street and just seeing Lang's gone, was just reality hits again," she said.

"Then you're like yeah, just hoping I was waking up from a bad dream and this wasn't happening."

Dubois said the first pictures she saw of her salon after the fire was put out looked like the ground was covered in ash. In fact, it was suds from the hair products. 

Pedicure chairs, expensive hydraulic massage tables and hair products were destroyed. The equipment that survived reeks of smoke. 

"If we took everything in here and went into a different location ... the smoke would just come with us, so we would be smoky wherever we went," she said. 

Fire destroyed the building in downtown Regina that was home to Lang's Cafe. (Creeden Martell/CBC)

Now they're trying to figure out what insurance will cover. 

"We're dealing with more than just my insurance, but with landlord's and Lang's so we know who's at fault for what. So just trying to figure out those details right now," Dubois said. 

Dubois said she wants to get the place back up and running as soon as possible. She said the salon was growing and flourishing.

The fire that decimated Lang's Cafe in Regina in early April 2018 also crept into the attic at Miyosiwin Spa. (Micki Cowan/CBC)

"Even though it's such a tragic situation, it's also nice to see already how much of an impact we've had on the community, so to see all the support that is coming into us makes us feel good, because we were on the right track," she said.   

The entrepreneur, who is originally from the George Gordon First Nation, said she wants to expand the business even more, despite the setback. 

An online fundraiser has raised more than $5,000 for the salon so far. 

"I think I'm finally past that point of the devastation part and just trying to look forward to rebuilding the business," she said.