Mis Raices Cafe and Restaurant opened January 15, this year. Sunday night, witnesses reported the smoke and flames coming from the business. Apple Valley News Now spoke with the owner, who says he does plan to rebuild and reopen. Rylee Fitzgerald reports. Read the whole story here: https://www.applevalleynewsnow.com/news/kennewick-business-owner-reflects-on-devastation-and-plans-to-reopen-cafe-after-fire/article_cfdf2d1c-6565-11ef-9564-27413c08aba5.html
KENNEWICK, Wash. — The Kennewick Fire Department has released more information on a fire that destroyed a business on W. Kennewick Ave. on Sunday night. The call for help came in at 7:42 p.m. to the Mis Raices Cafe and Restaurant.
Fire crews responded to the 2500 block of Kennewick Ave. after witnesses said smoke was coming from the Mis Raices Cafe building. When firefighters arrived on scene, they found smoke coming out, and the inside of the building was on fire. It was out in minutes of engines getting there, but the fire left the interior burned.
J Alvarez is the business owner. Apple Valley News Now reporters ran into him at the restaurant on Monday morning, standing in front of the wreckage.
“I got to see how much work was put on in this building, a lot of love, a lot of work, and it was not just me. You know, there's a whole team behind the scenes that have done a lot for this building,” said Alvarez. “I got to see my employees crying because now they don't have a job, and it's very unfortunate, it's very sad. I just don't know what really to feel. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming.”
Mis Raices Cafe and Restaurant opened January 15, 2024. Alvarez has been in the Tri-Cities since 2019, and said this shop has been his dream for around three years.
“I love coffee. I'm a big fan of coffee, so it was maybe like around three years ago when I wanted to open a coffee shop,” said Alvarez. But, he said he couldn’t take credit for everything. “Like the food; my girlfriend actually was the one that designed the food menu.”
Alvarez said he left the cafe around 6 p.m. on Sunday, and got called back around an hour and a half later to the reports of smoke and flames.
“It's very hard to put it into words,” expressed Alvarez. “It's hard because, like I said, it's just, we put a lot of work. This is like a second home for us. So, I don't know, I just feel sad. Feel sad, overwhelming.”
Alvarez invited Apple Valley News Now staff to take a look inside the burned building. The kitchen was destroyed by the fire. But the front of the restaurant, with decorative streamers decorating the seating area was untouched for the most part.
“It happened so fast that right now, I'm just going with whatever comes, then the process. But, I'm good. We're good, we're going to be back in business in whatever time, like, that we need,” said Alvarez.
He said, even after this loss, he plans to rebuild and reopen. Alvarez explained how he and his landlord are working with insurance at the moment.
“We're gonna reopen again. It's just about time. It's just timing,” said Alvarez. He said, when they open back up, “Come and try us out!”
Crews spent more than three hours at the cafe. No one was hurt, and the cause is still under investigation by fire crews. Kennewick Fire Department, Benton County Fire District #1 and Richland Fire and Emergency Services responded to the fire.
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KENNEWICK, Wash. - The Kennewick Fire Department has released more information on a fire that destroyed a restaurant on West Kennewick Avenue Sunday night.
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