Community steps in after Jersey City restaurant burns down
Jhonacel and Philip Candelaria's restaurant, Meryendang Pinoy, has been closed indefinitely since Feb. 9, the day a fire destroyed the inside.
A devastating fire ripped through a Filipino restaurant in Jersey City earlier this month, but the local community has stepped in to help.
Jhonacel and Philip Candelaria's restaurant, Meryendang Pinoy, has been closed indefinitely since Feb. 9, the day a fire destroyed the inside.
"You just never know what could happen in a snap," Jhonacel said. "Our neighbor, she messaged us and she was telling me you probably already know this, but your store is on fire."
On a normal Monday, Meryendang Pinoy would've been open. But by chance, the restaurant's heat was out on the day of the fire.
"I didn't believe it until we did FaceTime," Jhonacel said.
With the business closed and no one in the building, there were no injuries. However, the Candelarias lost something else - years of hard work.
They said their restaurant was a goal they'd been working toward since 2019 and finally reached in 2024.
"It was actually inspired by my son," Jhonacel said. "We just put all of our life savings and then quit our jobs to actually open the restaurant."
After the fire, the couple launched a GoFundMe. It's now sitting at over $20,000.
"We thought that maybe if we do good to others, it would come back like one million times," Jhonacel said. "Sometimes we would see the names from the GoFundMe. We don't even know these people, but they're showing up for us, and we're so thankful for that."
Though the Candelarias do have hopes of rebuilding in the future, they said their current focus is their new baby that is on the way.
