photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Owner Adam Guss points to the fire damage at the back of the Summit's Steps shop at 11 W. Ninth St.

Updated at 1:50 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20

An overnight fire significantly damaged a downtown Lawrence business early Tuesday morning.

At 3:04 a.m., Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical was dispatched to a report of a structure fire at 11 W. Ninth St., which is the home of the Summit’s Steps shop — which sells minerals, crystals and gems — on the first floor and an apartment on the second floor.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

The front of Summit’s Steps at 11 W. Ninth St. The glass in the door was broken by firefighters.

First responders confirmed that there was a fire in the alley behind the building that was extending to the interior, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical said. The exterior fire, which damaged heating ventilation and air-conditioning equipment and multiple natural gas meters was quickly extinguished and there was no reported natural gas leak associated with the damaged meters.

No one was injured in the fire, but the store’s owner, Adam Guss, said the business would likely be shut down for the rest of the busy holiday season.

Guss told the Journal-World that the damage was mostly to the building and that he was still going through the shop’s inventory to determine what was lost.

“The big thing is just the loss of income because we can’t be open,” he said. “The shop isn’t really in any condition to open, and it probably won’t be for the rest of the holiday. We’re still kind of going through things and cleaning up.”

Guss said that fire investigators told him the fire was probably started by someone in the alley.

“They said it was started by some people,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s people trying to get warm. Not sure. They said they saw somebody from the cameras up here and they saw somebody kind of run in this way in a hoodie or something, but they can’t ID anybody.”

Customers who may have been planning on visiting the shop for the holidays can still visit the shop’s website, www.summitstepsminerals.com, and can also buy gift certificates, Guss said.

Before the fire, Summit’s Steps planned to move to 806 Massachusetts St., and the last day at the shop on Ninth Street was going to be on Dec. 30, Guss said. The shop will open in the new location in March.

Guss opened Summit’s Steps in 2014 at 17 W. Ninth St. with a hand-selected collection of minerals and gems from around the globe.

Initial estimates for damage to the exterior and interior of the structure are in excess of $10,000, fire officials said.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

The rear of Summit’s Step at 11 W. Ninth St., showing damage from the fire.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Damage from an overnight fire at Summit’s Steps, 11 W. Ninth St.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Damage from an overnight fire at Summit’s Steps, 11 W. Ninth St.