Bertucci's Opens at Noon After Tuesday Kitchen Fire

Lunchtime regulars at Bertucci's on Amherst Street will be happy to know the restaurant will be open Wednesday by noon, following a June 4 kitchen fire that shut down operations.

"We have one more inspection to go, and then we'll be open with a partial menu by noon," said Aggy Gukasyan, general manager of the Italian-themed chain restaurant at 406 Amherst St. 

The saute line will be open by 1:30 p.m.

Coincidentally, Gukasyan had already planned two Firefighter Appreciation nights – June 11 and 18 – as a general "thank you" to our local firefighters.

"I don't know if it's good karma or bad karma, after what happened yesterday, but we just wanted to thank them for all they do – especially after the Boston Marathon bombing," said Gukasyan, who happens to be from Watertown, Mass., where the post-marathon search for the bombing suspects shut down the Boston neighborhood.

"My dad lives on the same street where the first shooting took place, so it hit real close to home for me," Gukasyan said. "I just want to give something back to them for all they did."

On June 11 and 18, all current or retired firefighters are invited to come in to Bertucci's for unlimited pizza and grilled chicken wings, starting at 5:30 p.m.

"They should come from 5:30 until the good times end – we'll have a private dining room upstairs where the guys can hang out and enjoy some food," Gukasyan said.

A similar police officer appreciation event will be held in July or August, Gukasyan said.

On June 4 some of the restaurant staff smelled a strange odor and used a fire extinguisher to douse the fire. Another staff member called 911.

"The fire department was here within minutes," Gukasyan said.

The public can also say "thank you" during another upcoming promotion, Dining for Dollars, on June 25, during which 15 percent of all sales and take out receipts will be donated to the Nashua Firefighters Relief Fund. All you have to do is mention the Nashua Firefighters, Gukasyan said.