Several local businesses are asking the community for help following a devastating fire.
Mobile food businesses, including Top Rope Birria, Mom’s Grilled Cheese Truck, Green Coast Coffee, Melt City Grilled Cheese, Modern Perogie, and Shorba Bone Broth, all lost the shared kitchen out of which they worked after a fire ripped through a small commercial building on East Hastings on March 25.
Within the hour that the kitchen was ablaze, the businesses lost all of their equipment, prepared and stored food, supplies, signage, and bikes.
The businesses started a fundraiser to help recover their losses. As of March 31, the fundraiser has surpassed the $15,000 mark.
All funds raised will be split between the impacted businesses to help them "get back on their feet and regain that sense of well-being."
Nicknamed “The Comm,” the space has operated for 12 years at the former Uncle Henry’s Restaurant at 547 E Hastings St. In 2011, Yasmin McKenzie opened the space which has served as an incubator for over 30 small businesses. The post-fire GoFundMe campaign was created by Yasmin, Kelly, and Kevin McKenzie along with Ryan Sutcliffe and Katie McGuire.
Mithalee Rawat, the owner of Shorba Bone Broth says she intends to keep going, especially with a major food show to attend next weekend. Her sister, Natalee, has set up a separate fundraiser for the small business.
"We've been inundated with words of support and comfort. We're so grateful for this, knowing that the community around us is strong," writes Kelly McKenize, the organizer of the commissary fundraiser. "Our losses are difficult to tally but everything helps at this time."
With files from Brendan Kergin.
