Brockville Indian restaurant still pressing to reopen after August kitchen fire
While COVID has ravaged small businesses in the past year and a half, one Brockville restaurant is struggling even more, after a kitchen fire in mid-August has kept their doors closed.
"The damage was only in the kitchen with the equipment and the exhaust hood," said Tandoori Mint owner Guru Singh. "Nothing happened to the restaurant, and no harm to any person in that, so by the grace of God that was a good thing."
Singh says the last month has been a struggle, especially through the ongoing pandemic.
"We were trying to get on our feet with COVID going on for the previous year and this year, our sales were already down," he said.
The Tandoori Mint restaurant in downtown Brockville. (Nate Vandermeer/CTV News Ottawa)
The restaurant finally reopened to dine-in customers in July, but the fire has been a severe blow to the business.
"I was thinking maximum a couple of weeks you know, I would be back on my feet," sing said. "For a small business to be closed for a month is a big thing."
According to Singh, he's still waiting on a damage estimate from his insurance, and the bills haven't stopped.
"Hydro, Enbridge, water bill, phone bills, security, our insurances, rent. They remain the same even if I'm in a working condition or not," Singh said, adding monthly costs are in the $3,000 range.
On Saturday while talking with CTV News Ottawa, his cellphone continued to ring with eager customers ready to place orders.
"I have call forwarded the (restaurant) phone to my cellphone, so I am listening to each and every customer," Singh said. "I never miss a call, so I try to explain to them what is happening, this is what we are going through."
"They always wish me a good luck so that I can be open as soon as possible," he added.
Tandoori Mint restaurant owner Guru Singh speaks with Sam Cowan (right) of the Downtown Brockville BIA.
With the bills racking up, Singh reached out to Downtown Brockville BIA, who has set up a GoFundMe page to help.
"All we're really asking for is that if you were going to Tandoori Mint and spend $50 for a meal, maybe you could just donate the $50 to kind of get Guru get back on his feet," said Sam Cowan, special events and communications coordinator for Downtown Brockville.
"For all of the restaurants honestly it's been brutal, it's been terrible. It's not been a good last year and a half," said Cowan. "I kind of just felt like we were getting back on track and then unfortunately there was a fire here which sets you back a whole bunch more steps."
The GoFundMe page has already raised more than $1,000 in the first 24 hours.
"I'd just like to thank the community so much, it's just been absolutely incredible," Cowan added.
Singh, grateful for the help, says the Brockville community welcomed them when the restaurant opened 11 years ago.
"They have accepted us with both open arms and they were always helpful," he said. "When we opened this place there was no Indian restaurant in town and probably nobody knows about Indian food also, but people tried it and they liked it and word of mouth has spread and it has spread good for us in last 10 years."
Still not willing to let the August fire burn him out, Singh says if things don't turn around soon, the only option will be to close for good.
"I have worked hard, 10 years with this place, and I will try to go until the end," he said.
"I can survive for another month if I'm not open, after that the things start getting worse for me then I have to make a choice," Singh said.
"I want to be open within end of this month or beginning of next month, I'm not going to give up like this but if it's not in my hand it wont be in my hand," he said.
To help donate to the Tandoori Mint, the GoFundMe page can be found here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
ArriveCan contractor to be admonished by MPs in extraordinarily rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.