Norfolk, Va. - D'Egg Diner in downtown Norfolk is back in business and ready to take your order.
"Basically, it was like reopening a new restaurant," said Phillip Decker, owner of D'Egg Diner.
It's been two weeks since this local restaurant closed - this after the Selden Arcade building, where the business is located, partially collapsed.
"For anybody that has to go through having their business yanked from them and the revenue stream and then worrying about your staff and keeping them working and keeping them getting paid, it was difficult," said Decker.
When firefighters arrived on the scene, they found windows blown out in the interior of the building and heavy structural damage to the interior walls that had collapsed.
Investigators still don't know why this incident happened.
"Immediately I was hoping nobody was injured, which thankfully, that could have been catastrophic if it were the night before or the night after. There were major events happening in the arcade," said Decker.
In order to get them back on their feet, the City of Norfolk provided a generator so they could have power. The city also provided a generator to nearby Starbucks. However, some folks haven't been so lucky.
Many of the artists who worked at D'Art Center next door to the diner have been displaced. Some are working from home; others at different locations. And to make it worse, some of their art work was destroyed.
In order to help the artists out, Smartmouth Brewery in Norfolk will host a fundraiser Sunday, May 3 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. It's open to the public.
"We made it though. 14 days later, we're back in business," said Decker.
Decker and his staff hope things continue to get better, not only for them, bur for their neighbors, too.
