VALLEJO – The owners of Vallejo soul food restaurant Noonie’s Place rushed to their restaurant Sunday morning to find a portion of the building in flames and smoke billowing out of the structure.
“We’re just very thankful that nobody was hurt,” said Tara Beasley-Stansberry, who owns Noonie’s Place with her wife Ronda Stansberry. “What is heavy on my heart still is that we could have been there, and I'm just forever grateful that we were not.”
Beasley-Stansberry said that none of the neighboring businesses were damaged, although some neighbors did lose power temporarily.
Noonie’s Place chef Julius Byrd also rushed to the restaurant when he learned about the fire.
“My heart just sunk for him,” Beasley-Stansberry said, adding that Byrd and her wife have worked closely together, and both of them put a lot of creative effort into the business. “He really is family. And he was there with us every step of the way that morning.”
The fire department responded to the two-alarm fire at 3:19 a.m. A crew of 25 firefighters were able to control the fire by 3:47 a.m., according to Vallejo Fire Department spokesperson Kevin Brown.
The fire caused over $500,000 in damage and the business will be closed indefinitely. The investigation did not reveal an exact cause of the fire but it was found to be accidental. Brown said that electrical connections to small appliances could not be ruled out.
Since news about the fire began to spread, Beasley-Stansberry said that they have received an outpouring of community support that has been reassuring.
“I have received a countless number of text messages, emails, phone calls, from community members, people in city leadership and other business owners,” Beasley-Stansberry said.
“Tiffany and Marco McCloud, the owners of the Grind Cafe, reached out and told us they would make dinner for us this evening,” Beasley-Stansberry said. “Dr. Ramona Bishop of Elite Schools asked if there is anything that we need…we were moved to tears.”
Noonie’s Place first opened on Georgia street in 2019, but soon closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened at the Sonoma Boulevard location two years ago, where it quickly became known for crunchy tender catfish and other soul food favorites with delicious sides.
Beasley-Stansberry, who is also running for the Vallejo City Council, said that she grew up in Richmond and her wife grew up in San Francisco but they have been in Vallejo for 10 years.
“It wasn't until this moment where I was like, wow,” Beasley-Stansbury said. “It felt like I was born and raised here. I know we're a part of this community – I feel it. But it hit different this time, and that's what I love about Vallejo, when they show up, they show out.”
Beasley-Stansberry said that she was also thankful for the response from the Vallejo Fire Department.
“They really gave us empathy and understanding, and showed respect and professionalism. I'm forever grateful.” she said.
The property owner has an insurance policy for the building and Beasley-Stanberry and her wife also have a policy that covers the business. However, Beasley-Stansberry said that it is not clear how much of the damage will be covered under the policies.
They are also not sure how quickly the building can be repaired or if they will need to look for a new permanent location for the restaurant.
While they figure out the best way to reopen the restaurant, the couple is planning to continue their catering business. They are looking for a commercial kitchen to prepare those orders and keep as many of their employees working as possible.
Beasley-Stansberry said that as a business owner, you can’t stop or give up when you have a setback and the moral support that they have received for the community has been a great help as they start to pick up the pieces.
Those interested in donating to help sustain Noonie’s Place and the restaurant’s employees while they rebuild can contribute here.
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