EASTON, Pa. – The fire in Easton last week severely damaged the neighboring State Cafe and Grill. But it wasn’t the flames or smoke; it was the water used to fight it.
For the second time in 4 years, the beloved business has to battle back from disaster.
“Watch your steps. Dry for the most part, but still some mud,” Bill Sneeringer warned 69 News reporter Bo Koltnow as they headed down the steep steps.
The State Cafe and Grill owner took us into deep into his chaos. The basement of his Easton restaurant recently flooded. A more than 6-foot water line shows how high.
Food, equipment, electric, plumbing, all destroyed. The result of excess firefighting water pouring in from Friday’s massive fire at the neighboring Hotel Hampton.
“After this, are you considering putting something called the ‘catastrophe’ omelet on the menu?” Bo asked as they walked around his counter.
“That’s a good idea,” Sneeringer chuckled.
A dubious Déjà vu delicacy, as a 2022 fire caused by roofers shut down the business for 10 months. Its reopening nearly three years ago falls almost exactly on the same date as this most recent disaster.
For the second time in 4 years, circumstances beyond his control forced Sneeringer to temporarily close his 12-year-old business.
“How does that hit you as a small business owner?” Bo asked.
“It’s pretty devastating. I don’t know how to describe that; it was kind of like shock, and it took a while to sink in. It’s just like, okay, here we go again,” he said.
On the current menu cleanup, all food, cold or not, has to be thrown out. Chef Mel Rake tosses out not just food, but weeks’ worth of work, that he plans on making again.
“Rebuild, restock and come back at it hard,” he said.
For small businesses, survival often depends less on profit and more on persistence.
Sneeringer is confident that by spring, he can reopen.
“We’re going to get through this. I just have to keep thinking, you know, hey, just have to keep the faith and know that we’re going to get through this,” he said.