Local businesses, organizations, and individuals were quick to respond after learning that a fire gutted the popular downtown eatery Fitz on Main last month.
In addition to volunteers who showed up to help with the initial cleanup effort, a number of fundraisers have been established to benefit the business as its owners work to reopen.
Within days, Kyle’s Coffee, located just down the road on Main Street, announced it would be selling special bags of its “Fitz on Main Blend” with a portion of the proceeds going directly to the damaged diner.
Owner Kyle Burge spoke to Scope News about the fundraiser and the local response.
“I was looking just to show support for the downtown businesses like myself,” he said. “We’re a tight-knit community, a small community, and anything we can do to support each other.”
After contacting the owners of Fitz on Main, Burge started bagging up the special blend with significant interest from customers.
“When I first announced it, we had probably about, I’d say 10 orders within two days, so that was pretty cool,” he said.
Another opportunity for locals to satisfy their taste buds while raising money for Fitz on Main will be coming on Independence Day.
VFW Post 5352, which has a longstanding relationship with owner David Fitzpatrick and his family, is planning a post-parade meal to benefit the restaurant’s restoration effort.
“David’s father was a member of the VFW before he passed and Davis is still a member of the auxiliary,” Darren Lowry, chairman of the post’s House Committee, told Scope News. “Two times a year, he comes up and does things at our post and a bunch of our members always used to go eat breakfast at his restaurant. And we’ve just known him for years, so of course when the fire happened, actually about 15 or 20 of our people showed up the next morning to help him clean up.”
Lowry noted that the annual Fourth of July parade served as the inspiration for another way the post could help out a local business in need.
“So we just decided that after the parade, we invited the town, anybody that wants to come until we run out of food — we’re going to do hamburgers and hot dogs — and all food proceeds are going to help him,” Lowry added.
The event will take place at the post, located at 618 Edgewood Street.
During a Board of Aldermen meeting earlier this month, Fitzpatrick expressed his gratitude for the support he received from the local VFW post, among others.
“This town is about community,” he said. “I’ve lived it and now I’m experiencing the other side — and I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Other local businesses are planning their own fundraisers to benefit Fitz on Main and Scope News will provide additional details on our Facebook and X accounts as they become available.
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