Two businesses remain shuttered five months after an electrical fire broke out at a commercial building in Washington Square.
Heat and smoke damage forced the Painted Burro, a Mexican restaurant formerly known as Burro Bar, and Vinodivino, a wine shop, to close indefinitely. Both owners said they are eager to get their businesses back up and running, but insurance dealings and a lack of electricity have delayed repairs.
Firefighters contained the fire to the basement of the Painted Burro, but the entire building’s electrical system was damaged. Joseph Cassinelli, the owner of the Painted Burro, described the fire as a “total loss” for the restaurant only two years after its grand reopening .
An insurance investigator discovered the exact cause after an in-depth inspection, said Deputy Chief Todd Cantor of the Brookline Fire Department. The investigator found that the junction box connecting electricity to the building shorted out, sending a power surge into the fire alarm panel, said Cantor.
David Ucci, the owner of Vinodivino, said the insurance companies for each business and the property owner have been cooperating to assess the damage and determine coverage. Everyone involved is following protocols, but the process is lengthy, Ucci said. “I’m sure everyone involved would like it to go faster,” he said.
The commercial strip had been without power until last week, when Eversource restored temporary electricity, said Brian Richard, Brookline’s chief electrical inspector. He notified Eversource that he had completed a “temporary service” inspection in mid-April. Now that the building has power, the owners can start repairs, but they are a long way from reopening.
Ucci was unaware that temporary electricity had been restored until Brookline.News informed him in the course of reporting this story.
The owners will need to consult with an electrical engineer to determine the next steps for complete power restoration, Richard said. Attempts to reach the building’s owner, Shabtay Alon of Rasa Realty, failed.
Vinodivino requires fewer repairs than the Painted Burro. Once the building’s systems are fixed and brought up to code, all the wine shop needs is a few days of cleaning and a fresh coat of paint, said Ucci.
“If there were [full] power there, I’d be open tomorrow,” Ucci said.
The extended closures have meant significant financial and personnel losses for the businesses, both of which are part of local chains. While Ucci was able to move full-time employees to one of the four other Vinodivino locations in Greater Boston, Cassinelli had to lay off the entire staff at the Painted Burro Brookline because he did not have room at the other restaurants.
Cassinelli said the layoffs were personally difficult for him, as most employees had worked with him for years. He ran into one of his former chefs recently and was happy to see him doing well in a new role.
“Making sure that you take care of your people is primary,” Ucci said.
Despite the slow-moving repair process, both businesses plan to reopen. The corner of Beacon Street and Winthrop Road has been home to Vinodivino for 16 years, and Ucci said he loves the community and location. He said he cannot imagine running his business without that store.
The Painted Burro has been a popular neighborhood spot since it opened as Burro Bar in 2017. The restaurant had a great walk-in brunch crowd, said Eric Lord, the general manager of the nearby restaurant Bar Vlaha and a former customer himself. He said Bar Vlaha has seen a lot more walk-ins for brunch since the closure. He has also noticed a change at The Abbey, a pub-style New American spot.
“If you want to go grab a snack, grab a beer, The Abbey is the place to do that now,” said Lord. “Previously, you could go next door.”
Although his restaurant has benefited from more customers, Lord said he misses his neighbors.
“Now I just see it all sitting there through the window, and it’s kind of sad,” Lord said.
Customers can still visit the Painted Burro’s locations in Harvard Square, Somerville and Waltham. Vinodivino also encourages customers to visit or order delivery from their Kenmore, Newton, Beacon Hill or Needham locations. Vinodivino is hosting a “Rose on the Rooftop” event at the Kenmore location June 25.