On Saturday, July 22, Chapel Hillians were shocked to hear that a beloved local institution had gone up in flames. Mediterranean Deli, a Franklin Street staple since 1992, had caught on fire. Firefighters were able to put out the blaze and nobody was seriously injured – but the fire did $3 million in damage to the restaurant, devastating owner Jamil Kadoura and his 71-member staff. Nearby businesses like Moshi Moshi and DB Sutton also had to shut down, with tens of thousands of dollars in damage of their own.
But in the aftermath of the fire, our community rallied together. Within a few days, a GoFundMe effort had raised more than $200,000 to support Med Deli’s staff; town government and business leaders joined forces to offer their help – and the businesses themselves immediately launched into their own recovery efforts. DB Sutton is back open, Moshi Moshi will reopen soon – and while the Med Deli space will be closed for months, Kadoura has already reopened his catering business at a temporary spot just down the road, with dine-in service returning by October.
Jamil Kadoura recently stopped by 97.9 The Hill, to discuss his experience and his reflections with Aaron Keck. Below is a transcript of their conversation, which is lightly edited for clarity.
Click here to listen to their full conversation.
Aaron Keck: Does it feel like it’s only been a couple of weeks?
Jamil Kadoura: It’s hard to believe. (The time) is going fast, but in a way it’s also slow because you want things done quick. It’s been a couple of difficult weeks.
Keck: What have been your thoughts?
Kadoura: First I want to really thank the (firefighters). They were – the word ‘hero’ doesn’t (fully) describe them, but they are our heroes. I want to thank our community – I always knew I live in a great community, but I really didn’t know the extent. They’ve raised over $200,000 for our employees. We put that money in a Chamber of Commerce special account, so the Chamber starts checks for them as they’re needed. We’re open for catering business now at 454 W. Franklin Street –
Keck: Where Elaine’s used to be?
Kadoura: Yes, near Carolina Brewery. That’s exciting. It’s very therapeutic to see the (catering) vans going. And just (supporting) the staff is the most important thing now, because this GoFundMe – with 71 employees, it’s going to be gone by the next payroll. We are going to hopefully open around October for dine-in at the former Elaine’s, with a limited menu. That would take a lot of pressure off me and my staff.
Keck: I want to highlight that, because I did not know until you came in this morning (that) you’re reopening for dine-in at the Elaine’s space in a couple of months. That’s great news.
Kadoura: Maybe before a couple months. We’re very excited. Again, the key is keeping the employees, (and) once the GoFundMe (funds) go, that will keep employees working. We are family. Our average employee has been there about 12-13 years. We have employees that that have been there for 16 years. You spend 16 years with somebody on a daily basis, they become your family. And the community stepped up – and I’m just so happy I raised my kids in this community.
The fire at Mediterranean Deli on July 22 began on the roof, but eventually fell into the restaurant and led to several hours of Chapel Hill firefighters working to contain and put out the flames. (Photo via Caroline Spencer.)
Keck: (The fact that) the average employee has been at Mediterranean Deli for 13 years – that’s just staggering for that (type of) business, there’s typically so much turnover in restaurants.
Kadoura: I hope that says something good about me! But I want to give the credit to them. We’re like a family, they’re rallying around me now. And, you know, I’m trying to take care of them. I told them, “we’re going to be fine.” We got through COVID and we kept them, gave them the same salary. With COVID, of course, we got some government help, and this will be a little bit more difficult – but I think if we open our doors for a limited menu and continue our catering, we’re all going to be fine.
During the fire, I looked at their faces, they looked deflated. I had to go. I was more deflated than them. But I had to go around and take them on the side and say, “listen, we are going to be fine.” I didn’t really have any plan. I was in shock then. But I assured them everything was going to be fine. And (now) I think we are going to be fine. And we are like one family. It’s just unbelievable how close we are.
Keck: How are they all holding up now?
Kadoura: They’re holding up good. And being the leader, I have to lead by example. I want to always be positive and resilient for them. I just talked to them before I came here, and they said, “we are going to be fine, it’s all good, we’re going to be fine once we open. This community is going to pour in here, and they’re going to support you.” We’re lucky because we’re here. And without this community, I don’t know if we would honestly make it…
I’m energized and I’m really trying to think, “okay, this is a challenge. I got to do it.” But the hardest thing in life, at 62 years old, I learned, is (that) to be strong for somebody, you (have to be) weaker than them. (This) hit me more than anybody, but I have to be strong and lead and show them, “we are going to be good.” And to do that, it takes so much energy out of you. It sucks all the energy out of you. But I’m doing it. And we’re going to rebuild. We’re going to rebuild better. I’m going to have – I can tell you one thing, I’m going to have my dream kitchen in the new place. We’ve already started talking to the town, the architects. We are going to rebuild, we’re going to come back, and we are going to be good.
Keck: Walk me through that Saturday in July. What happened?
Kadoura: It was 1:30, 2:00. A roofer was fixing a leak in the roof. It’s a common practice to use a torch. We have a rubber roof, we’ve used this roofer many times – it’s an old building, it leaks a little bit – and every time he comes, we smell a little rubber and everything is fine. We’re used to it. So he left at 2:00, 2:30 – he said, “I’ll settle with you Monday morning,” and I said, “have a nice day, goodbye” – and I start smelling and seeing smoke in the back, and I’m thinking, okay, he’s gone, what’s going on here? So I called him and said, “hey, I smell smoke,” and he said, “I’m coming right back.”
So I ran upstairs on the ladder, there’s a ladder attached to the building, and I looked around on the roof and I didn’t see anything. (But) when I was going back to the ladder to get off the roof, I saw a flame – as big as two lighters combined, you know, just a very small flame. Thank God, this is so easy. I can put this out. I tapped on it with my bare hands – and then (a piece of) about four or five inches diameter fell down, and the fire came up. So the fire had already started…
So my first call was to the restaurant – “evacuate immediately” – and the second call was to 911. And the firefighters came in and – it was too late. I could hear the sirens while I was on the phone and we were evacuating the building.
I thank God every morning, every hour, every day, (that) nobody got hurt. Because every thing is replaceable. But if somebody would’ve been hurt – I don’t know if I could live with it.
Keck: The community response has just been incredible. We’ve mentioned $213,000 from the GoFundMe – and I walked past Med Deli yesterday and now there are signs posted, supporting you.
Kadoura: Yeah. That’s what keeps me going. Those signs and notes. I don’t go on Facebook, to be honest with you, (but) my kids tell me, “oh, Dad, you know, they’re writing this and that.” And it definitely gave me energy when people signed those papers on the windows of the deli, “Come back, please, we love you.” Just beautiful, beautiful.
Since the fire and its closure to dine-in customers, community members have been leaving notes taped onto the windows of Mediterranean Deli in Chapel Hill.
Keck: All the conversations that I’m sure you’ve had – what’s been the most memorable?
Kadoura: The most memorable was with the town. The town did an emergency meeting on Sunday, the next day. I didn’t attend, I was going through a lot with investigators, insurance investigators, all this process that you have to go through – (but) then they followed up (with another meeting) and they asked me, what do I want? I said, “I would like the Chamber of Commerce to take care of the (GoFundMe) account,” and Aaron Nelson was great, he said, “no problem, we’ll take it.” And then they said, “what can we do to rebuild Med Deli? A fundraiser?” I said, “I’m asking the town for one thing and one thing only: when my permits go to the town, try to speed it up for me, please.” And they promised to do that. I think they’re really eager to see us open. I think it’s just an institution downtown. And honestly, I didn’t realize how important – I had an idea, but I didn’t realize how important Med Deli was, and how much people love Med Deli, until this happened. I had an idea, but I didn’t know. I was overwhelmed, almost.
Keck: Any sense on the timeline for (reopening)?
Kadoura: I want to say mid-October. We can open now if we want to, we have the permits to open for dining – but I did order a couple deli cases, (because) I want to make sure I open it the right way. I don’t want to (have) people come in there and we’re just scattered and not doing well. So we can actually open now if we want for dining in, but I’m going to give it some time to get organized, get the deli cases in, and get it set up the way I want it. Again, it’ll be a limited menu: we’re going to choose the bestselling items from the old place and put them in those deli cases, the most popular items. And there is nothing that will make me feel better than seeing people coming in, so we can pay our employees. You know, I’m thankful to God and to the community, and the key is the employees. Nothing else.
Keck: There are going to be so many people waiting in that line.
Kadoura: We are overwhelmed. And again, I’m so glad I’m raising my kids here. This community has been – I can’t describe it honestly. For the employees, $140,000 (raised) in two days. Within five days it was $200,000. We gave it to the Chamber, and thank God for (Chamber president) Aaron Nelson, who agreed to do that for us.
Keck: Any sense yet on when the original place will be able to reopen?
Kadoura: The architect said “I can open this in eight months, (maybe) six months.” I’m thinking 8-10 months. We’re going to go as fast as we can. We already did a preliminary drawing so we can show it to the town. We’re working really fast…
What I want people to know is, this is not a business to me. This is my home. And that is the honest truth. I remember some graduation weekends where I slept there, because we would work so late, but we had to come so early. I said, “you know what, I can sleep in the banquet room. It’ll be easier for me.” And a couple of my staff did that with me. So Mediterranean Deli is – it started as a business, but it developed to be my home. We expanded in that location six times, and my employees made it my home. I’ve met such wonderful people. I met Eric Montross there, he’s a very good friend of mine now, and Dick Baddour. We get involved in the community. We did major fundraisers, we raised $26,000 in three hours, we gave (away) all the proceeds – and that doesn’t say me, it says the community. I called on the community, and the community showed up to support those causes. I’m just overwhelmed.
Keck: Any final thoughts?
Kadoura: Again, our employees are the key now, to keep the employees. I say that over and over and over. And I love this community. I wish I can find more words to say about this community, but – thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you all.
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