A fire tore through Wild N Out Market and Cafe at 1270 Columbia Drive in Decatur early this morning, wiping out the business and leaving its owners and workers without income.
What’s Happening: Owner Willie Harris says he got a call around 3 a.m. from his daughter, a paramedic at a local fire station, after her fire chief alerted her to the blaze. Harris says the restaurant was already gone by the time he arrived on scene.
What’s Important: Harris and co-owners Demaral Beasley, Bruce Woodard, and Silvia Zicarelli say the business had spent all of its savings over the years to stay open. With rent, utilities, and family bills due at the end of the month, Harris says ownership, management, and staff have nothing to fall back on.
How This Affects Real People: Harris has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser and says any money raised will be split evenly among ownership, management, and staff to help cover immediate costs.
The GoFundMe campaign has only raised $540 so far.
