According to the U.S. Fire Administration, one of the biggest causes of fires is improperly disposed cigarettes. Now that most people no longer smoke indoors and outside commercial kitchens, the frequency of fires has lessened. Unfortunately, it’s easy to get complacent and think that all the redundancy built into fire protection is an unnecessary expense. But in the grand scheme of things, fire is fire. And it’s devastating to any place of business. 

On Nov. 16, 2024, KTTV reported an explosion at an AutoZone store in a Los Angeles shopping center. The blaze quickly took over the store and two nearby restaurants. One of those restaurants was Fat Sal’s, which “is the spot for your favorite guilty pleasure sandwiches or sides,” according to their website.  

The co-owner and CEO of Fat Sal’s parent company, New York Restaurant Concepts Inc., Josh Stone, told Restaurant Business Magazine (RBM) that “the fire department quickly switched from offense to defense because of all the combustibles and flammables. You could see it from the whole LA basin.”  

Whether a business is insured or not, rebuilding can take months to years. Rather than waiting and hoping for the best, Stone and his partner, Sal Capek, took up their landlord’s offer of an alternative space right down the road.  

“We looked at it on Sunday afternoon [after the fire] and by the next day we were making food there,” Stone tells RBM. Within 48 hours, Fat Sal’s Hollywood was up and running with the help of around 50 people building, cleaning, fixing, decorating, and testing.  

After the fire and during the rebuilding stages, the sight of what truly matters was never lost. “You have nothing but gratitude for these first responders,” said Capek to RBM. “We kiss our kids good night and we know what’s important. It’s not a restaurant. It’s not bricks and glass and lighting. That’s not what’s really important in life.” 

This is just the beginning of Fat Sal’s rebirth. The Stone and Capek duo tells RBM that they plan to open more locations in Los Angeles and launch franchising in the future. However, their story serves as a serious reminder that fire remains a significant risk, being able to change lives and businesses in a flash. As much of a setback as this may have been for Stone and Capek, it didn’t tear down their commitment to the restaurant and the community. 

Image via KNBC.