A fire engulfed a well-known restaurant in northern Michigan on Tuesday, Oct. 7, according to Presque Isle County Sheriff Joseph Brewbaker.
211 Bar and Grill, located 5 miles north of the village, just outside the entrance to Onaway State Park, burned on Tuesday.
No one was hurt,according to the Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op, the utility provider serving the area. Brewbaker said the family owned business is a "total loss." The bar and grill had been operating since 1946.
"That place of has been there. It's a staple of our community," Brewbaker said on Wednesday.
Brewbaker said there is no indication of foul play, although the investigation by Michigan State Police fire marshal is ongoing.
Emails and calls seeking comment from the owners were
not immediately returned.
Bonz Beach Farms, a neighboring business, has set up aGoFundMe page to support owners, Jeremy and Becky Pasella, their employees, and efforts to rebuild 211.
"For a place that has meant so much to neighbors and visitors alike, this loss is deeply felt close to home. The owners live less than a football field away, and the restaurant itself is only about a quarter mile west of the farm," Bonz Beach Farms said in a Facebook post.
The GoFundMe page said they will match the first $5,000 in donations. As of noon Wednesday, Oct. 7, the fund has more than $29,000 of a requested $35,000.
According to therestaurant's website,the '211' was built in 1946 and was originally a log cabin ice cream parlor.
"Over the years it gradually changed owners and became famous for it's burgers, pizza and sandwiches as well as serving alcoholic beverages. Further ownership changes brought about name changes and full course dinners and entrees. However, no matter the owner, the menu, or the name, the establishment was always fondly known as 'The 211.'" the website says.
The restaurant closed in 2008 and later reopened in 2011 under new owners.Unfortunately in 2008, the 211 closed and remained closed until 2011.
The fire is the third at a well-known northern Michigan spot in recent weeks.
A heavy fire devastated an Amish-owned business called The Farmers' Creamery near Mio in Oscoda County on Saturday, Oct. 3. The building was a total loss.
Snows Bar and Grill, located in Cedarville in the Upper Peninsula, burned in September.
"The insurance company has 'released' the site, so now we can move forward with demolition/clean up. Everything still happens on insurance time, so praying this next step comes sooner, rather than later," thebar's owners said in a Facebook post.
Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Longtime Onaway restaurant burns. What happened as 211 Bar and Grill
