Nearly two months after fire destroyed one business and damaged others at a Waterloo plaza, signs of activity are starting to sprout up.
A beer retailer and pizza restaurant have reopened, while a drug store continues to operate out of a temporary trailer.
Monday marked another milestone, as the Homestyle Diner opened its doors for the first time since the fire.
“Finally, we can see our customers again,” said co-owner Denise Price.
Although the restaurant had to lay off its employees as it waited for power to be restored and worked to clean up smoke damage, almost all of them are returning to work.
Only two employees are not coming back.
One of them is Price and co-owner Craig Yantz’s mother, who died during the wait.
“She was our main pastry baker. She did all of our pie shells – homemade, from scratch,” Yantz said.
“She’d want us to go on, for her.”
Price and Yantz say they’re more fortunate than many business owners at the plaza.
The fire was centred at the Dollarama, which is at the opposite end of the property.
While their diner only received smoke damages, businesses closer to the Dollarama were hit much harder.
Greg Watson owns a Water Depot outlet that received significant roof damage, among other things.
He estimates that it will be another four months before he can reopen.
“It’s kind of frustrating and irritating,” he said.
The City of Waterloo has issued a permit for the Dollarama to rebuild.
