Local News |

Calumet Fisheries suffers extensive damage in fire but owner’s committed to reopening: ‘We’re survivors. We’ll be back.’

Calumet Fisheries on Chicago’s Southeast Side caught fire Tuesday, just days after the beloved seafood restaurant reopened following a failed health inspection.

The damage to the restaurant “is extensive,” according to the Chicago Fire Department. No one was injured in the fire, which broke out around 1 p.m. and spread through the upper area of the building before being extinguished, CFD said.

Many of the building’s red roof tiles were destroyed and its iconic painted sign appeared to have fallen in an image shared by the department.

Co-owner Mark Kotlick said Tuesday he plans to make repairs and reopen the restaurant. The fire occurred while employees were inside and appeared to start because of electrical issues, he said.

“It’s still too early to assess what’s really happened. Exterior-wise, that stuff’s easy to fix up. Internally, we can’t get into the store yet,” he said.

He said he is “absolutely” committed to reopening, “unless economically it just doesn’t make any sense.”

“But I doubt that will be the case,” Kotlick said. “We haven’t been in business for 95 years to let this shut us down.”

The restaurant, known for its smoked and fried seafood, won an America’s Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation in 2010. Vice President Kamala Harris visited the spot in January, and Anthony Bourdain featured it on an episode of his “No Reservations” show in 2009.

The restaurant, located at 3259 E. 95th St., was shut down Oct. 31 after health inspectors found evidence of about 400 mice and rat droppings. A week later, inspectors found more evidence of vermin.

At the time, Kotlick said the restaurant had never had an issue with the city in a century of business.

“It’s an old store. They gotta consider that it’s not something that was built yesterday,” he said.

The restaurant reopened Saturday after passing its latest health inspection.

“I’m just glad it’s all over with and hope it never happens again,” Kotlick told the Tribune then.

On Tuesday, he praised the Fire Department and his employees for quickly identifying and responding to the fire. He said he already made an insurance filing, but added that the Thanksgiving holiday may slow down the damage assessment process.

“We’re survivors,” he said. “We’ll be back.”