MATTOON, Ill. (WAND) — Last Thursday, a building housing eight different businesses collapsed in Downtown Mattoon, leaving tenants to find a new way to keep their businesses running.

One of those businesses is Armstrong's Grooming and Shave Parlor, a barbershop that has been in the building for eight years. Owner Jason Armstrong was cutting hair when the building came down, and it turned into no ordinary appointment.

"It felt like an earthquake," Armstrong said. "Taylor ran outside to see what happened, and when he came back, he said, 'We've got to get out of here.'"

Despite the disaster, Armstrong still made time to finish up with his client that day.

"So, I just took the gentleman to my house to finish his haircut," Armstrong said.

Armstrong said he woke up to a miracle the next morning after a friend offered him a rental property to reopen his shop.

"I never would have thought that we would be back to work," Armstrong said. "We missed two days of work, but it took a lot of hustle, a lot of blood, sweat and tears."

The shop turned a bad situation into a fresh start.

But Armstrong said it's important to remember the other tenants who weren't as fortunate.

"I don't want to toot my own horn too much, because they still need prayers; they still need help," Armstrong said. "I'd like to ask the community to do what they can and reach out to them."

Armstrong said community support got him to this point and that is just who Mattoon is.

"Everybody comes together. Everybody says, 'How can I help?' And everybody did. It's amazing," Armstrong said.

No injuries were reported in the building collapse. Armstrong said his shop will remain at its new location for at least the next year.

For more information on the collapsed building, click here. 

Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved.