By John Howell

Crossroads owner Alex Ali said that he is making plans to rebuild the popular convenience store at the intersection of Highways 6/278 and 315 as soon as possible — “definitely.”

Fire believed to have started in a rear area of the store near a clothes dryer and hot water heater destroyed the building early Saturday, July 19. Ali said that he is working with insurance representatives, contractors and an engineer, trying to coordinate constructing a new building in its place.

“We’re going to make it look good,” Ali said.

Ali purchased the building and business in January from former owner Ricky Robinson of Water Valley.

About two years earlier, Ali had purchased the Lake Store, several hundred yards north of the Crossroads store on Highway 315. The Lake Store had been closed for about three years before Ali purchased it, he said.