Owner Vows To Rebuild After Fire Guts 29 Diner's Kitchen

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — John Wood, owner of the 29 Diner, said on Tuesday that the dining room of the historic restaurant on Fairfax Boulevard was spared from significant damage from the Nov. 23 fire.

"The diner itself suffered major heat and smoke and fire damage, scorched up everything, but the diner itself will be able to to be restored," he said.

The kitchen was a different story, according to what inspectors and adjusters from his insurance company told him.

"Total loss of everything in the kitchen, which is basically because of it being a chemical fire," he said. "That means that we need to gut the entire kitchen, which takes us back to the outside block wall on each side and then the back of the diner to the back wall of the kitchen."

Wood, who's waiting for a final estimate of the damage from his insurance company, said he was committed to restoring the restaurant's dining room and replacing the kitchen.

"If it's what the insurance adjusters say it is, a gut and a remodel, we're talking about plans and permitting and new hoods and new fire ventilation systems and everything," he said, estimating the whole process could take eight to 10 months.

On Tuesday, the Fairfax City Fire Marshal's Office issued its preliminary findings. While the cause of the fire still remains under investigation, city fire inspectors estimated the building loss to be between $35,000 and $45,000.

Wood said those estimates were much lower than what he had been told by his insurance company.

"Because all of the chemicals and everything all got into all of the ventilation, got into all of the equipment, none of the equipment can be saved," he said. "Every piece of equipment is a loss. The loss is a half a million dollars."

Hours after Fairfax City firefighters extinguished the blaze, community members showed their support for Wood and the diner by launching a GoFundMe campaign. The effort was aimed at helping Wood's employees weather the restaurant's closure, as well as raising money to help with its restoration. As of 12 noon on Tuesday, the campaign had raised more than $56,000 toward its goal of $100,000.

Ever since Wood bought the diner, he's made it a point to find ways to give back to the community. In 2020, he was recognized as a Patch Local Hero for delivering meals to first responders and health care workers during the pandemic. He also operated a food pantry to feed families in need.

When asked about the GoFundMe campaign and the outpouring of support he's gotten since the fire, Wood said he was speechless and humbled by the response.

"The community tells me that I'm on their wings and they're taking me higher because of all of the efforts that we've done to support the community," he said. "Because of our support of the community, they're supporting us and raising us higher."

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Day After Fire Guts 29 Diner's Kitchen, Community Offers To Help