A beloved family restaurant in Wooster called Farmer Boy may be no more after a fire tore through it late Friday night.
According to the Wooster Division of Fire, crews responded to the restaurant around 11:24 p.m. and found smoke billowing from the roof and open flames tearing through the roof.
Firefighters knocked down the blaze, confining it to the kitchen and attic areas, but due to the amount of damage, the restaurant is likely a total loss, authorities said.
Tammy Wilson is a 61-year-old server at the restaurant who has worked there for 27 years.
"I think with that many years working there...you have an attachment that you don't realize that you have. It's part of your everyday life," she said.
The restaurant meant everything to Wilson, and it was a place she loved to work at. She's one of many employees who are now without a job. Entire families worked there— husbands and wives and even their children— and they are all without income now, Wilson told News 5.
To James Mason, a longtime customer at the restaurant, Farmer Boy was about much more than great food and service. That family feeling extended to the community they served, he said.
"If you ever came by and saw the parking lot on any given day, it's one of their most favorite spots. They're always packed," Mason said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but authorities said it appears it was accidental.
It's unclear if the owner will rebuild.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help staff members. CLICK HERE for more information.
