Rob Lewis of Extreme Audio and Performance, CT learned his shop was on fire while he was at KnowledgeFest, last Friday night.
A car audio retailer for 28 years with 12 years at his current Manchester location, Lewis later learned his garage bay was burned to the ground and his showroom ruined from smoke. The business was declared a total loss, but his insurance only covers about a quarter of his costs.
Lewis was at dinner with long time supplier AAMP Global when he learned of the fire, after his wife was notified by his security company.
Video cameras revealed the source of the fire as a faulty power strip. Lewis had only just completed a $40,000 renovation a year ago, including new displays from 5 Axis.
“The whole garage; all of the tools and any electrical equipment for the shop was completely destroyed. Every dash kit, wiring harness, all connectors were destroyed….Out front, the shop was engulfed by smoke and water damage. At first I thought it couldn’t be that bad. I had fire extinguishers in every corner. When you think of a fire, you think you’ll be there to put it out,” he said.
Lewis is looking for a new location and wants to reopen as quickly as possible.
His work phone is transferred into his cellphone and he’s taking customer calls. “People were calling me. They were at my door crying. People that wanted to get work done,” he said.
Lewis considers his store one of the best in CT. He was a competitor in USACi and IASCA for 10 years back in the 90s til around 2001.”This is all I know, it’s what I do and I don’t want to do anything else. I want to serve my customers…” he said.
It took Lewis a full 24 hours to get a new return flight from KnowledgeFest. “People were coming up to me I don’t even know giving their condolences for the situation. I was overwhelmed. People I don’t even know saying ‘I’m sorry.'”
Lewis would like to encourage dealers to make sure they are fully insured against fire and other disasters.
Anyone who would like to help him with reopening Extreme Audio can go to GoFundMe at https://www.gofundme.com/extreme-audio-fire-disaster
Lewis can be reached at 860-533-9000 [email protected]
Happy to have helped.
Words cannot express how thankful I am to everyone of you in the 12 V industry and my customers for supporting me during this difficult time.
As you all may know I have been in this industry for over 28 years, and I plan to rebuild Extreme Audio and Performance.
I believe,Live Strong stay Strong, and Being positive is always better than negative
Thank you to each and everyone of you for all of your support , whether it is a donation, and or just your words of encouragement!!!
Robert Lewis
Owner of
Extreme Audio and Performance
860-533-9000
Rob and the full Extreme Audio and Performance team, we are all industry veterans here at Maxxsonics. Many of have known you as a competitor and retailers for years.
Very sorry for this loss. When you are ready for the Go Fund Me, or Bake Sale or BBQ fund raiser –
reach out to Maxxsonics, we are ready to help in any way we can.
The GoFundMe is https://www.gofundme.com/extreme-audio-fire-disaster
I was with Rob at dinner that night when the devastating news came in. If you are able, please support one of our brothers in arms and donate what you can. Not a lot, because every little bit from many of us will go a long way. We would do it for you. God bless us all. Ken Wiseman
Dang. 🙁 Best wishes. But why is insurance only covering 1/4 the loss? Was he not carrying enough insurance?