Fire forces temporary closure of popular eatery

 Michoacana Grill will be back in business soon, owner says

The chairs stacked up in front of Michoacana Grill would normally be occupied with customers; the restaurant had to close for repairs after a fire struck an apartment next doorBy Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times

By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times

A fire apparently caused by an aging refrigerator in a next-door apartment prompted the evacuation of a popular Kennett Square eatery at lunchtime, one of the owners said.

Noelia Scharon, one of four owners of Michoacana Grill, said no one was injured. Employees smelled smoke and safely ushered customers out, she said. The apartment owner was not home at the time, and firefighters were able to rescue some pets, Scharon said.

The family-owned restaurant, which opened in October in the 200 block of  South Union Street, will likely be closed for several days, she said. “If this weren’t a holiday week, we could probably be back in business by the weekend,” she said.

She explained that the Health Department will have to complete an inspection after repairs are finished. Scharon said the refrigerator exploded, sparking the blaze. On the outside of the building, a swath of ivy climbing up  a wall shared by the restaurant and the apartment was visibly charred.

“We’re like the phoenix; we’ll rise from the ashes,” Scharon said.

She said that she and her local business partners, who opened their first venture, La Michoacana Ice Cream on East State Street in 2003, have overcome adversity before.  Several months after the ice cream store debuted, the building was flooded. “We don’t give up easily,” she said. “We basically had to start over.”

That experience prompted them to ask more questions in advance when they purchased insurance on the new business, she said. “This will go more smoothly,” she predicted.

As Scharon briefed an electrician and the cleanup crew, Martha Rodriguez, another owner, scribbled down a takeout order for a competitor since employees would not be enjoying Michoacana’s signature burritos or tacos. “We might as well give someone else local some business,” Scharon said with a smile.

She said she and her partners greatly appreciated the outpouring of support from the community.  “Everyone has been asking what they can do to help,” she said. “It’s really nice.”