After a fire destroyed long-time favorite Nuevo León in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, another restaurant nearby offered to take in employees now out of a job while the Mexican eatery rebuilds.
A message posted on Facebook sent by Fabulous Freddies Italian Eatery in Bridgeport read in part “So sorry to hear about Nuevo León! We had a devastating fire a few years back and know how horrible it can be for both owners and employees. If any of their employees need work while they rebuild please send them our way. It's Christmas time, the worst time to be out of work! [[360468411, C]]
Christie Bertucci-Vega, the owner of Fabulous Freddies, told NBC 5 Chicago an equipment malfunction caused a fire that destroyed part of her restaurant in March of 2011. "I know kind of what they're going through," said Bertucci-Vega.
The fire shuttered Fabulous Freddies until November of 2011, according to Bertucci-Vega. She said she feels blessed her restaurant is busy once again, and would appreciate the extra help."We’re here, we’re open, it’s busy, and we could use a couple of extra people,” said Bertucci-Vega.
A few of Nuevo León's employees have taken up Bertucci-Vega's offer. She told NBC Chicago one worker trained at her restaurant on Thursday, and two more employees are expected for training on Saturday.
Support in the form of donations has also poured in online. A GoFundMe page with a goal to raise $50,000 was set up for Nuevo León. Since Friday afternoon, more than $5,100 had been donated.
Firefighters were called to the scene of the extra-alarm fire at the family-owned restaurant Wednesday at 12:17 a.m.
The owner’s son was asleep in the building’s second floor apartment at the time, but managed to make it out safely. The family’s two dogs were rescued by firefighters.
It took crews more than three hours to extinguish the flames. A neighboring building, also owned by the family, was damaged as well.
The owner, Daniel Gutierrez, said he will rebuild the restaurant his parents started in 1962. Even the firefighters on the scene were heartbroken by the destruction, mentioning that they as well frequent the cherished neighborhood spot.
Investigators have not released a cause of the fire.
Nuevo León, in the 1500 block of W. 18th Street, is one of the highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the city and has been run by three generations of family members.
