Mike Zalman could only stare and watch as his beloved Mount Pleasant breakfast restaurant burned to the ground.
Over the last 12 years, Zalman’s has turned his restaurant, Slickity Jim’s Chat and Chew, into one of the hallmarks of the community.
“What can you say? You build something and it becomes your life for 10 years and it’s gone,” a distraught Zalman said, as he watched firefighters put out the remaining flames of a massive fire that engulfed several businesses near Main Street and Broadway Thursday morning. “It was the soul of the neighbourhood and I think it was important to a lot of people, not just me.”
Along with Slickity Jim’s, the fire completely destroyed the Kishu Island Japanese restaurant, Zocalo Mexican restaurant and United Professional Accounting Services.
Lugz Coffee Café and Militant Penguin clothing also suffered smoke damage, but were not razed to the ground like the other businesses.
A vacant building at the corner of Main and Broadway also suffered some damage.
Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services’ Capt. Gabe Roder told media the fire, which broke out at 4:30 a.m., looks like it began at the Kishu Island Japanese restaurant, but could not say for sure.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
