Happy Moose in Streetsboro still working to rebuild after 2022 fire. When will it reopen?
The sign outside the Happy Moose Bar and Grill says the eatery at 9436 state Route 14 in Streetsboro is "opening soon."
More:Fire at Happy Moose restaurant in Streetsboro found to be accidental
But "soon" is a relative term, cautions owner John Nappier.
Nappier said the project, essentially an interior rebuild of the restaurant after a fire last year, has been plagued by material delays, but is finally on track to wrap up in time for the restaurant to reopen this spring. He anticipates the opening will come in time for his staff to serve green beer for St. Patrick's Day.
Streetsboro restaurant closed since fire in January 2022
The restaurant, a former Eat and Park, was transformed into The Happy Moose around 2003. Nappier bought the business in 2019 and has faced challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Things were just starting to return to normal on Jan. 21, 2022, when a staff member turned on equipment in preparation for opening the restaurant. Immediately, Nappier and his staff began to smell smoke, called the fire department and evacuated.
The Happy Moose hasn't been open for business since that day. The Streetsboro Fire Department ruled the cause of the blaze accidental, estimating damages at more than $250,000.
What caused the fire at Happy Moose?
Nappier said many people have told him they heard his restaurant sustained a "grease fire," which he said wasn't at all the case.
Instead, firefighters blamed a process called pyrolysis. Over time, heat from the kitchen’s flat-top grill caused plywood within the wall to dry out and decompose. On the morning of the fire, heat from the grill caused the plywood to further decompose to the point where it became easily combustible.
Nappier said the fire affected the wall between the grill station and the dish room. The dining area sustained water and smoke damage.
"It was the craziest thing I've ever seen," he said.
Preparing to reopen
The restaurant recently set up an "opening soon" sign, prompting many questions about when the opening date will be. Nappier said he wishes he could give a firm date but said it won't be in time for Super Bowl Sunday, as much as he'd love for that to be the case.
Contractors are now in the process of installing a new floor in the kitchen and dining area, which will be safe to walk on after Feb. 13. The project also has faced challenges getting equipment and materials needed for the rebuild.
"This has taken much longer than I thought it would," he said.
The "Opening Soon" sign will soon be replaced by another sign that states the restaurant is "Now Hiring." Nappier anticipates hiring about 40 people to staff the restaurant, and more than half of them are expected to be former staff members returning for their old jobs. Already, he said, 20 people have applied for the vacancies, before any of the positions have even been advertised.
"We anticipate being very busy once we reopen," he said.
Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at 330-298-1139 or dsmith@recordpub.com.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Happy Moose in Streetsboro still working to rebuild a year after fire
