80
Escarpment Magazine Summer 2013
It was a sultry
hot and breezy night on the Firehall
patio, one year ago and conditions were extremely dry.
Around 3pm on July 22
nd
, the smoldering cigarette ignited the
dry mulch bed next to the building and strong winds quickly
fanned the flames, engulfing a plastic Muskoka style chair.
The ensuing inferno sent flames up the exterior wall and onto
the roof. Eventually the sprinkler system kicked in, but by that
point there was already extensive damage. Thankfully, no one
was injured in the fire, but the smoke and water damage to
the restaurant meant that it would have to close and undergo
major repairs.
There is a saying, “Where there is a crisis there is also an op-
portunity”, and no one understands this better than Bill
Vomvolakis, the owner of Firehall Pizza.
When the engineering reports came in, it was clear to Bill that
the building was going to need a major overhaul. Seizing the
opportunity, Bill decided to not only repair the damage, but
to also make improvements to the restaurant. “We didn’t want
a bandaid solution,” remembers Bill, who also acted as the
General Contractor for the project. “Even though it was going
to take longer, we wanted to do it right.”
The entire structure was gutted and redone. First they built an
entirely new 815 square foot kitchen, making it almost 4 times
the original size. Then, below the main kitchen, a new prep
area was created since the original space had been too small
and held up orders. “It was a bottleneck to the growth of the
business,” remembers Bill.
While the renovations were underway, the rest of the Blue
Mountain Village community came together to help. Positions
were found for all the Firehall employees at other Village
restaurants. Bill is quick to point out their generosity, and is
thankful for all the help.
Now almost a full year later, the new and improved Firehall
Pizza is open again. Additional seating and the larger kitchen
means the business is able to grow, offering takeout and de-
livery throughout the village. The menu has been expanded,
to include more healthy choices and even the beer selection
has increased in numbers.
Along with the new look and increased size, Firehall Pizza re-
mains a family orientated restaurant. “You eat where your kids
eat,” says Bill. “And at Firehall you eat well.”
|E|
It all started with a
cigarette carelessly
tossed on a flowerbed.
OUT
of the
ASHES
ESCARPMENT EPICURE
|
business spotlight
S T ORY & PHO T O | CL AY DOL AN
