Diner owner sees sad remains
That first dollar earned is a frame-worthy memento for most business owners.
But for Bryan Hutchens that first bill is not only a leader, it's also a survivor.
The framed $1, wet with soot, was among the items Hutchens was able to salvage from the burned-out remains of his dream-come-true restaurant: Hutch's Diner.
Located on the street level of 339 Center Ave., the restaurant was a victim of Sunday's devastating fire.
Fire, water and smoke so significantly damaged the building that Center Avenue remains closed to traffic, and city officials are seeking an emergency tear down.
Mayor Tom Donaldson said the city's code enforcement, fire department and building owners agree the state of the building makes it unsafe, and it has been declared a “site specific emergency.” With this designation, it will be torn down immediately to be paid later by the owners' insurance.
The hope, said Butler City Fire Department Capt. Ted Codispot, was to get the demolition started Monday. But a one-day delay gave Hutchens a chance to peek into the building and grab what he could.
There was an American flag, the first $1 and $2 bills paid to the restaurant and a number of stainless steel products.
Although Hutchens said the kitchen itself remained intact, the items inside sustained heavy smoke and water damage. Plates, still stacked, are covered in wet soot. The roof from the top floor is burned away, and black water drips down onto the counter.
“Sadly, there's not that much left,” Hutchens said, pacing between the building's shell and a pickup truck where his father and friends waited to gather up and haul away the findings.
Hutchens, a longtime former firefighter, pledges to reopen the restaurant at a yet to be determined different site as soon as possible.
Hutchens was just 12 days away from celebrating his second anniversary in business there. And, he said, in that time his restaurant turned into a family affair.
His mother manned the kitchen. And his customers became friends. You could set your watch by what time a customer named Douglas arrived in the morning. And a family from Zelienople traveled there for breakfast every week.
The location itself, built more than a century ago, is also irreplaceable, Hutchens said.
“This place was an icon,” said Hutchens, who recalls the first time he tried scrambled eggs with hot sauce was inside the restaurant which has operated under a handful of names over the years. “It was Linda's Diner for 27 years.”
The building, owned by Clair Boring and Joe McKain, included eight apartments.The American Red Cross is offering temporary housing to the 18 people, all adults, who lived there and one neighbor, said the organization's spokesman Dan Tobin.Firefighters said it was possible a couple tenants also could be allowed into the building to search for keepsakes before it was razed. But it was not likely any usable items would be found intact on the top two floors.The state police fire marshal also visited the building Monday, but could not be reached for comment.Codispot said it is possible the cause and starting spot of the fire would never be known. However, Codispot said, the fire is not considered suspicious.Despite the setback, Hutchens said he is still enthusiastic about being a restaurant owner. And he's dedicated to his customers.“There were people here (at the time of the fire) who ordered food,” Hutchens said. “They didn't get it because we had to leave and they insisted on paying for it anyway. That's what type of customers I had.”
