When Lindsay Nicholson heard about the fire at Zachary’s last weekend that gutted the building’s interior, she immediately knew she had to do something to help.
“I saw on Facebook all these people bringing food, tools, trying to help out,” said the owner of Bliss Yoga, located on Main Street. “We’re not a restaurant, so we couldn’t offer any of that, but we saw the needs of someone in our downtown business family and wanted to step up.”
Within hours of the fire, Nicholson and her staff had planned a fundraiser for Sunday afternoon and into the evening. The studio will host a series of classes from 1:30-5:30 p.m., and all proceeds from those sessions will go to Zachary’s.
Nicholson’s isn’t the only business raising money for Zachary’s and its employees. Huck’s Place is holding a fundraiser Saturday night after the close of the Market Street Festival, and a fundraising event scheduled for May 18 at the Trotter Convention Center will bring in donations through auctions and a $20 cover charge. A GoFundMe, established the day of the fire, has already raised more than $14,000.
Zachary’s owner Doug Pellum said all those funds will go to his employees, who can’t work there until the restaurant is re-opened. Additionally, he said, several restaurant owners have approached him about “adopting” some of his wait staff and bartenders, giving them shifts to help cover costs.
“It’s just been overwhelming, the support and response we’ve received,” he said. “We’re very thankful for all the fundraising, especially (since) it’s all going to our staff. … Even those that get into other restaurants, they may not be receiving the same pay as they were before, so it’s definitely appreciated.”
The outpouring of community support is a demonstration of the saying “what goes around, comes around.” Since its opening in 2001, Zachary’s has hosted dozens of fundraisers and charity events, donating tens of thousands of dollars to local organizations and people in need. Last year alone, Zachary’s raised more than $40,000 through fundraisers, also contributing more than $30,000 worth in in-kind services.
It’s that generosity that is motivating the community’s equally generous response, said Colin Krieger, a Columbus-based Realtor in charge of organizing the May 18 event at the Trotter called the “The Big Payback.”
“I think what people don’t know about all the fundraisers and events (Zachary’s) hosts is that the employees also volunteer their time,” he said. “And even after the fire they were still down there clearing out the place, doing whatever they could. To me, that speaks volumes about what kind of people, what kind of place that is.”
Recovery, renovations continue
Though Zachary’s looks barely damaged on the outside, Pellum said the building is “totally gone” on the inside.
“It’s been basically gutted,” he said. “We’re going to have to completely redo the inside and take off the roof.”
Since Sunday, Zachary’s employees, as well as patrons and other members of the community, have been removing memorabilia and furnishings that survived the fire and beginning the early stages of demolition. Employees have been getting paid for the time they worked, Pellum said, thanks in part to the donations from the GoFundMe campaign, and local businesses from all over Columbus have been dropping off food and bottled water for workers.
“It’s unbelievable, the response we’ve had,” Pellum said. “It speaks volumes to the community Columbus is.
“Although I have to say, it’s like a Southern funeral where everyone brings some kind of dish,” he joked. “We’ve had to tell people that we just don’t have any more slots for them to bring food by because we’ve had so many restaurants call and want to bring something.”
Soon, the restaurant will be out of Pellum’s hands. After Friday afternoon, no one except the contractors will be allowed in the building, he said.
“Once they take the roof off, it’s a liability thing,” he said. “So (Friday) is the last day.”
Insurance won’t cover the whole cost of renovations, so Pellum is currently seeking a loan to complete the rest. He said he hopes to re-open the restaurant in three to four months.
“We’ll be back,” he said. “We’re not relocating, we’re not going anywhere. It’ll take a few months, but we’ll be back.”
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