After overnight fire, popular burger spot likely closed for several months to repair

Thurman to Go, the carryout arm of the iconic Thurman Cafe, will likely remain closed for the next several months as ownership attempts to repair thousands of dollars worth of damage caused by an overnight fire on Jan. 13.

According to owner Mike Suclescy, the fire broke out after an electric burner was accidentally left on overnight, and a neighbor alerted authorities and Suclescy to the blaze. 

“There was very little fire damage thankfully, but heavy smoke damage. That’s mostly what we’re dealing with,” he said. “All the equipment inside has to be replaced; even our cameras melted from the heat.”

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Suclescy said Thurman to Go, which is located at 189 Thurman Ave., next door to Thurman Cafe, is still assessing the damage. The Thurman Cafe will remain open with its regular business hours, and will be able to take carryout orders, depending on how busy its staff is.

While it’s unclear exactly how long the popular German Village eatery will remain closed, it will likely be a matter of months, Suclescy said. 

“We have people ready to get on some of the repairs right now, it’s a matter of how long it’s going to take for us to get the repair permits we need,” Suclescy said. He also noted Thurman’s insurance should leave the restaurant fully covered.

And while the eatery had been closed sporadically up until last week’s fire due to staffing concerns, according to Suclescy, those issues had been addressed just before the fire, making its timing even worse for a business fighting through the COVID-19 pandemic.

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