Jacob's Pickles To Host Fundraiser For Families Displaced By Fire

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — More than one month after a 4-alarm fire tore through an Upper West Side building and shuttered popular neighborhood spots such as Jacob's Pickles and e's Bar, the building's businesses and tenants are still not able to move back in.

So for one night the Jacob's Pickles staff and ownership is calling on Upper West Siders to open up their hearts, and pockets, to aid the relief effort at the still damaged Amsterdam Avenue building. On Wednesday, April 26, the team behind Jacob's Pickles will host a fundraising event at its sister restaurant Maison Pickle.

The fundraising event will, of course, feature food and drinks as well as speeches from local business and community leaders. Set to speak are City Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal, Ken Biberaj from the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, Chef Greg Silverman of the West Side Campaign Against Hunger and Jacob's Pickles founder Jacob Hadjigeorgis.

Tickets for the event are now on sale and cost $100. For an extra $35 guests will also get a Jacob's Pickles t-shirt.

Both Jacob's Pickles and its neighbor E's Bar have been raising money for fire relief on GoFundMe. As of this writing the Jacob's Pickles fund has raised more than $2,500 and the e's Bar fund has raised more than $12,500.

The money is for the 19 families displaced by the fire, according to the funds.

The fire broke out on the third floor of 511 Amsterdam Ave. — above e's Bar and next door to Jacob's Pickles — around 6 p.m. on the evening of February 24. Flames spread to the building's fourth and fifth floors as well as building shafts, the FDNY told Patch at the time.

One non life-threatening injury to a civilian and four non life-threatening injuries to firefighters were reported, an FDNY spokesman told Patch in February. Dozens of fire units, containing around 170 firefighters, responded to the scene of the fire, the spokesman said.

Fire officials have said the four-alarm fire was accidental. According to fire marshals, the fire was caused by an electrical extension cord.

Photo by FDNY