NORFOLK, Va.— Two Norfolk restaurants are shut down after a fire broke out inside one of the buildings.
A fire broke out at T’s Seafood Kitchen on Tidewater Drive in Norfolk last Thursday. Philly Style Steaks & Subs next door was also damaged, and both businesses are currently shut down.
“We finally got open in October. Things were going well. Sales was going good, and then for this to happen— it’s a tragedy,” explained T’s Seafood Kitchen owner Cedric Pittman.
Firefighters report seeing smoke pour out from the roof when they arrived around 4:30 in the morning. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Pittman says the small business just opened its doors a little over two months prior. Now, they’ll be shut down for at least two months - and possibly longer.
“I put all my life savings into it. I ain’t got no loan from the bank, nothing like that. I used all my own money,” said Pittman.
His business was his pride and joy he hoped would leave a legacy for his children. Now, he’s starting back from the beginning.
Inside, everything is covered in black soot. He’ll have to rebuild from top to bottom.
“It’s really nothing in there that’s salvageable. If the fire didn’t get to it, all the smoke seeped into it — it’s all damaged goods,” he explained.
There’s no telling how long it will take to fix all the damage, but Pittman says he’s not going anywhere. When the time comes to reopen his doors, he’s counting on the community to lend their support.
“I have a strong team and we’ll get through this and will bounce back from that, but as far as the community, I just want to see their support when we reopen,” Pittman said.
