VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – A three-alarm fire destroyed three businesses along the Virginia Beach Oceanfront Tuesday afternoon and now owners and employees are left to pick up the pieces.
The Virginia Beach Restaurant Association shared a message with the three businesses saying they can only imagine the difficulties the owners are facing.
The owners of the Maple Tree Pancake House restaurant say they’ve had the place for over 42 years. They took to Facebook Wednesday to thank everyone for their support following the fire and said they are not sure what their next steps will be.
As for some of the workers of the Pancake House, the destruction is a difficult sight to see.
“Hard to process cause like I said I’ve been here for working 30 something years. Coming to work, I was ready to come to work this morning to do my job,” said Marcus Jordan Sr. who was a cook at the Pancake House.
Jordan says in those three decades of employment, the owners treated him like a son.
“I loved working then and meeting and the exchange students that come and teaching them about the job and everything,” explained Jordan.
One of those exchange students from Turkey, Atilla Arda Ozseven, was prepared to clock in Wednesday morning for his second day on the job.
“I was looking for Maple Tree Pancake House and I saw the cook waving at me, and I just realized they demolished it,” Ozseven said.
John Vakos Sr., the owner of the building says he has owned it for the past 50 years and that he even helped his father build the building. Now, he is focused on its rebirth.
“I think in time everything has a life. Me, you, everybody. Buildings. We don’t know tomorrow what’s going to happen,” Vakos said. “The problem now is getting back up and cleaning up the mess.”
Vakos said for now, he plans to clean up debris on the sidewalk and put a fence up around the building.
The owners of the Maple Tree Pancake House have started a GoFundMe to raise money that will go towards repairs that insurance can’t cover. For those who would like to make a donation, click here.