Tragic.

 

 

From CityPages.com: "A burned-out hulk surrounded by broken glass is all that's left of the building on the corner of 50th Street and Bryant Avenue that housed the restaurants Heidi's and Blackbird Cafe, and retail shops Patina, Shoppe Local and Stacy Johnson Jewelry Design, after a two-alarm fire burned through the structure in the Lynnhurst neighborhood on Thursday afternoon.

Firefighters told WCCO the blaze started as a grease fire at Heidi's at about 1 p.m. and then spread through the building's roof cavity to the other businesses. By mid-afternoon flames had consumed the building and firefighters adopted a "defensive" fight, which essentially meant they prevented the blaze from spreading while allowing it to burn itself out. The restaurant's owner told the station four employees were in the building at the time the fire started. No one was hurt."

I am so sad to hear this news. I still hadn't made it to Heidi's but was planning to go very soon, after a friend recently mentioned how she was blown away by both the meal and service there. And, chef Stuart Woodman was just named as a Midwest semi-finalist in the James Beard Foundation's annual awards. I went to Blackbird Cafe once and was quite impressed with the food and funky, eclectic interior. Really, really hope they all rebuild.