Sassafras Diner to Reopen in About 3 Months

Nearly two months after at the strip mall in Huntington Center, the Poniros family is finally able to get inside and start rebuilding.

"They finally released the restaurant to us. All this time we weren’t allowed in there. It’s been so long and the reason is there are so many people involved because of the other stores. Each have their own internal insurance companies and all have to be present at same time. If we were on Bridgeport Avenue in a building by ourselves we’d probably be rebuilt by now," said Denise Poniros Dykes, who has worked at the diner for more than 10 years. Her brother Chris and their mother are co-owners.

An official cause for the fire has not been determined. Poniros Dykes said a heat lamp may be to blame, but both the fire department and their insurance company have not been able to pin down what exactly happened.

"It's like CSI--they've been in there taking things apart piece by piece and we still don't know," she said.

The diner is currently boarded up, but the first steps at renovation have been started. Poniros Dykes said the family is "looking at probably three months of work," but they don't have a reopening date set because so much has to be done.

"We lost everything; nothing was saved," she said. "Some of the booths are probably still OK but we aren't going to use those. We have to start from scratch: plumbing, electrical, new walls and furniture. Everything."

Poniros Dykes said the past two months have been tough and that the family and the diner's employees have had a hard time finding work in the meantime. Her brother has worked there since he was 17 and never had to look for a job.

"It’s really affected us. None of us have found a job so we’re all just sitting around waiting," she said. "I never thought what it would be like if this happened. I never thought of not having Sassafras; to lose it this way is a blow."

Still, the family is hopeful for the future. They intend to rebuild bigger and better than ever and possibly make some changes to the business.

"We’re already thinking about what we can do. I would like a change. I don’t want to stay the exact same but we have to make sure we aren’t doing anything to make people not want to come back," Poniros Dykes said. Part of the diner's appeal was that it drew in a different customer base depending on the time of day, and the family wants to continue to accommodate those groups.

Poniros Dykes said the community has been very supportive throughout this difficult time. Customers and friends have stopped by to give condolences, and fellow local business owners have offered to do the electrical and plumbing work.

"We don't know what we're getting from the insurance company yet, but people have been really generous. I think in about another month we'll have a better idea of where we're at and what we need. I'm just looking forward to a grand reopening celebration," she said.