From ashes to New Year’s Eve: Calgary restaurant reopens after arson attack

When Casey Greabeiel received a text from his business partner that the restaurant and bars he co-owns were on fire, his mind skipped to the worst outcome: they were burning to the ground.

But it was after the firefighters left and he entered the charred properties that he realized Calgary’s popular Salt and Brick and Greta on 10th Avenue would live to see another day.

That day was New Year’s Eve.

The fire was lit by an arsonist whom the outlets didn’t know or never interacted with. Security footage shows a man holding a can of gasoline and matchsticks outside the spaces. Greabeiel and his team instead chose to pour their anger and grief into bringing the structures back to life.

“It was the only thing that I kind of thought about for the last two weeks — how do we make sure we’re open for New Year’s Eve.”

Parts of the plumbing and electrical systems in the building were razed to the ground, forcing the team to hire a restoration company to rebuild them. All the food and beverages in the restaurants had to be removed. Meanwhile, the staff urgently restocked their kitchens while rigorously cleaning the interiors of the restaurant that couldn’t be disposed of.

The staff also catered to guests who had made reservations at a different location.

“The food from Salt & Brick was one of the reasons, if not the main reason, they chose us,” Greabeiel said. “So the fact that we found a venue that allowed us to do the food was pretty amazing and a big positive.”

The property insurance paid for damages and lost wages, but left out gratuities, which are an important source of income for hospitality staff during the holiday season. So the restaurant held a ticketed event whose proceeds were given to its workers. A server’s parent, also a friend of the restaurant, began a fundraiser for the staff, raising over $12,000.

“We’ve leaned on all the resources we have in terms of personal relationships and friendships with people, whether that be through the restoration, whether that be through our landlord or suppliers,” Greabeiel said earlier in the conversation.

“I don’t know if it’s Christmas time, and that’s why, but everybody had been really positive, and everybody has kind of pulled together. Our staff was incredibly positive, and everybody just wanted to do what they could to help us get open as soon as possible.”

The restaurants did open on Wednesday. However, Charlie’s Watch Repair, a speakeasy tucked in the restaurant, will take a few months to come back online.

“Getting the speakeasy back up and running is going to be like the next project that looks like we’ll start the new year with,” he said.

Greabeiel still revisits the prospect of having his business and the livelihoods of his staff taken away from them by anyone with malicious intent. The arsonist, Aldin Crowchild, was also responsible for a fire at Bridgette Bar on Nov. 4, causing $300,000 in damages.

“It’s very hard to rationalize,” he said.