Sen Zushi is striving to be back in business July 1 in a temporary Store Street location while waiting for its original fire-damaged Fort Street space to be rebuilt.
“We are still calculating our part of the losses,” restaurant general manager Naoko Kokubun said Tuesday.
The acrid smell that hangs around after a fire is immediately noticeable outside 940 Fort St. where Sen Zushi has been closed since fire broke out on April 16 after a rice cooker was left on overnight.
Businesses hit by fire or damaged by a neighbouring blaze face similar issues, including whether to relocate temporarily or permanently, or to even continue operating. They have to cope with damage to the building and its contents, work with staff, landlords if renting, and insurance.
As proof that silver linings exist, business owners talk about being flooded with calls of support and offers of help from customers and other businesses.
That’s what happened at Sen Zushi. The restaurant expects it will take close to a year to rebuild its 84-seat Fort Street outlet, Kokubun said.
Details are still being worked out, but Kokubun hopes to temporarily move into 1619 Store St. Kokubun said the saddest part is that the staff is no longer together. “We were like a family.”
Last month’s blaze at the View Towers apartment buildings was a reminder of the dangers of fire, sending eight people, including seven Victoria police officers, to hospital with smoke inhalation.
The Victoria Fire Department has been busier than usual this year. It has investigated 32 fires to date, compared to 15 for the same time last year, said Lt. Brad Sifert. Fires are investigated when they are more complex than, for example, a pot burning on a stove.
In B.C., 33 per cent of fire injuries in 2012 were caused by cooking and equipment, said a report from the Office of the Fire Commissioner.
A large sign at the Cuban Cigar Shop directs customers across Fort Street to a modern building where Aemon and June Bayat and their daughter Sara relocated the family business. The fire in the adjacent Sen Zushi briefly closed the 17-year-old cigar store.
Cuban Cigar Shop will remain in the new location, said Aemon Bayat.
When word of the fire spread, many calls of support and offers to assist poured in from customers and other businesses, he said. “I was amazed. It was overwhelming.”
Cuban Cigar Shop reopened May 3 with new stock in new cabinets. It is still waiting for some products, such as cigar cutters, lighters and humidors.
Bayat was so keen to be back in business that he opened before point-of-sale equipment was operating. The store either accepted cash or told long-time customers to return later with payment.
They all paid up.
Meanwhile, repairs are underway at the property which housed three other businesses on Fort Street, struck by fire in November. In this case, a blaze broke out in the kitchen of Real Taste of India at 768 Fort.
Real Taste of India and the nearby Pho Vy Vietnamese Restaurant will be moving back in, said Jason Cheung, property manager for building owner Wing Lee Holdings. He could not give a date but said Pho Vy’s unit will be ready first. The Vietnamese restaurant has temporarily relocated to a nearby spot on Blanshard Street.
The Oscar and Libby’s gift store, the other business affected by that fire, has moved to a new permanent location across the street, at 795 Fort St.
Andrew Millen, co-owner of Oscar and Libby’s, advises business owners to get top-notch insurance.
Oscar and Libby’s was covered but has upgraded further since the fire. He anticipates insurance money will be coming through shortly.
Millen also recommends having a fire safety talk with the landlord to ensure safety equipment is in place in neighbouring businesses.
B.C. FIRE STATISTICS
• Total fires in 2012 in B.C.: 6,780
• Total property damage: $388 million
• Top causes of fires: cooking equipment, smokers’ material, matches and lighters not used for smoking, electrical equipment, heating equipment.
Source: Office of the Fire Commissioner
SAFETY TIPS FOR RESTAURANTS
Victoria Fire Department suggestions on how to avoid a fire:
• Thoroughly clean and maintain fire safety equipment
• Never switch on appliances and leave them unattended. Turn off appliances when you are not there.
• Ensure that built-in automatic fire-retardant systems in kitchens are properly placed, cleaned, and regularly serviced.
• Keep fire extinguishers on hand.
• Make sure no pallets or combustible materials are left outside the business.
• Keep exits clear so people can get out quickly and firefighters can enter.
• Ensure there is easy access to utility shut-offs, such as gas.
• If you upgrade or move equipment, check to make sure your fire suppression equipment is in the correct place.
• Dispose of and clean cooking rags carefully. After washing, they can carry grease residue into dryers and start fires.
