GoFundMe started for East Vancouver food trucks after commissary fire
Posted March 28, 2023 1:55 pm.
Last Updated March 28, 2023 1:59 pm.
A GoFundMe has been set up for a group of East Vancouver food trucks and producers who lost their commissary kitchen in a fire Saturday.
The fundraiser is aimed at recovering losses due to the blaze on March 25.
“Within the hour we lost all of our equipment, prepped and stored food, supplies, signage, bikes, and all appliances,” the GoFundMe page reads.
The fire was just one of three “significant” ones over the weekend. Vancouver Fire Rescue Services says around 40 firefighters responded to the blaze, which is being deemed suspicious.
Related video: Fire destroys Vancouver food trucks’ shared kitchen
In an Instagram post, Top Rope Birra explains the money raised will go to support itself, Flying Elbow Cheesesteaks, Rad Candy, Mom’s Grilled Cheese Truck, Melt City Grilled Cheese, Aperitivo Food Truck, Green Coast Coffee, and Modern Perogie.
“This Go-Fund-Me will be split between all businesses, to help them get back on their feet and regain that sense of well-being,” the GoFundMe says.
The fundraising goal is set at $135,000, with a separate page set up to support Shorba Bone Broth.
According to the post, the group’s insurance policies “do not cover damage from fire from a source outside of our collective business operations.”
However, the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
In an Instagram story, Kevin McKenzie, the owner of Top Rope Birria, says, “We are sad and heartbroken, and not sure what’s next.”
“We set up a GoFundMe, which I have a lot of conflicted emotions about. I don’t like the idea of asking for money from people who have already given us so much of their hard-earned money, and time, and love. That being said, it’s been made very clear to me over the past few days that people would like to help and would like to support. So we ran some numbers and got together as a group and decided, ‘hey, you know what, what should we do to recoup these losses?’ And we put up a GoFundMe page.”
He adds that even if his business can’t be saved, “I’ll be okay.”
“This is not a matter of life or death. This is only something you should donate to. If you’re passionate about it.”
Read more: Vancouver food truck forced to close after fire destroys commissary
But he says without a working kitchen, his business won’t be able to operate for the foreseeable future.
“With the exception of spending a little bit of time in a couple of places that we were able to use before, we’ve been there pretty much the whole time we’ve been operating. I would say two and a half years we’ve been there,” McKenzie said of the commissary.
“We’ve lost our inventory…but not our spirit”
Moden Perogie also took to Instagram to share the challenges they have been facing, adding that they haven’t been in the space for very long.
“Well, we almost made it a year,” the post reads. “Our perogie world has completely turned upside down.”
Although the post says the business is still figuring out its next steps, they are grateful for the support.
“We’ve lost our inventory, grandma’s aprons, but not our spirit.”
Yasmin and Kelly, the owners of multiple trucks and the operators of the commissary, also took to social media to share the loss.
“For the past 12 years, we’ve been running this commissary kitchen and we are proud to have been an incubator for other food businesses like Dickie’s Ginger Beer and Johnny’s Pops. All in all we’ve had over 30 tenants and countless food trucks live out their entrepreneurial dreams in our space. To see that all vanish in an instant has been surreal,” a post on Melt City’s Instagram page reads.
“Yesterday’s fire has been extremely devasting to our current tenants…as well as our own businesses,” the post explained.
“All of them started in this kitchen and have thousands and thousands of dollars of supplies, food, and equipment that are now gone or damaged.”
Mithalee Rawat, the owner and operator of Shorba Bone Broth, says she might have to close up shop for good.
“It’s devastating,” she told CityNews.
“This business is my life, like I’ve spent five years…building it little by little.”
In an online post, the business says the fire has come during an already challenging time.
“The past couple of years have been super challenging business-wise, and this has only added to the burgeoning stress load. It’s felt like hit after hit of setbacks beyond my control,” the Instagram post reads.
“Honestly, my first thought after the shock of seeing the kitchen roof billowing smoke was, ‘I don’t have it in me to continue.’ I felt deflated, like the little energy I have left drained out of me into the ground. Then I got into problem-solving mode and made some calls.”
The group GoFundMe has raised nearly $6,000 as of Tuesday afternoon, while Shorba’s Bone Broth’s has raised more than $7,300.
-With files from Michael Williams and Hana Mae Nassar, and Sarah Chew
