Restaurant reopens after fire
Updated: November 9, 2012
CHAMPAIGN -- A popular restaurant is back in business. A fire forced Taffies to close this summer. Now, it's open and customers say, it's better than ever. WCIA-3's Jillian Deam finds out what it took to get the restaurant running again.
The breakfast crowd is back in action at Taffies. Mike O'Dell is drinking his favorite coffee.
"Been coming here about 10 years."
"Just about every morning."
Amy Butler and her friends have their favorite breakfast dishes.
"I usually have toast, whole wheat toast."
"The rolls of course."
Most importantly, these customers say they have their "home" back.
"The people. We've missed this place. We really have."
A fire started the night of August 26, 2012. Owners, Jeremy and Angela VanMatre had to close it down for more than two months. During that time, the owners say they lost more than $100,000 in business from regular customers who come in. Plus, there was an additional $120,000 to make sure every dish and utensil was ready to be used again.
"There were times we were really frustrated."
Insurance covered the cost of the damage, but the VanMatre's decided to take more than $5,000 out of their pockets to make upgrades to the building.
"We remodeled, painted the place inside and out."
"They did a lot of work. They made this place look better than it's looked ever in the years I've come here."
And, they added some new items to the mix.
"These are different and they're delicious."
"Are you going to share any?"
"No!"
"I can eat the whole thing."
Making some of the food even sweeter. The owner say the customers kept them going. They got calls and visits all the time from people showing their support.
The breakfast crowd is back in action at Taffies. Mike O'Dell is drinking his favorite coffee.
"Been coming here about 10 years."
"Just about every morning."
Amy Butler and her friends have their favorite breakfast dishes.
"I usually have toast, whole wheat toast."
"The rolls of course."
Most importantly, these customers say they have their "home" back.
"The people. We've missed this place. We really have."
A fire started the night of August 26, 2012. Owners, Jeremy and Angela VanMatre had to close it down for more than two months. During that time, the owners say they lost more than $100,000 in business from regular customers who come in. Plus, there was an additional $120,000 to make sure every dish and utensil was ready to be used again.
"There were times we were really frustrated."
Insurance covered the cost of the damage, but the VanMatre's decided to take more than $5,000 out of their pockets to make upgrades to the building.
"We remodeled, painted the place inside and out."
"They did a lot of work. They made this place look better than it's looked ever in the years I've come here."
And, they added some new items to the mix.
"These are different and they're delicious."
"Are you going to share any?"
"No!"
"I can eat the whole thing."
Making some of the food even sweeter. The owner say the customers kept them going. They got calls and visits all the time from people showing their support.
