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By: WKBW News Staff , Taylor Anthony
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — A beloved Niagara Falls restaurant that has served the Pine Avenue community for more than 60 years is closed after a devastating fire.
A 7 News photographer on the scene Saturday night found smoke lingering inside the first floor of Michael's Italian Restaurant on Pine Avenue. That's right near Hyde Park Boulevard.
WATCH: Beloved Niagara Falls restaurant closed after 'devastating' fire
Michael's posted the following message to its community on Facebook on Sunday.
Last night, our beloved restaurant of 61 years experienced a devastating fire. Michael Capizzi started this iconic family restaurant in 1966. While the loss is heartbreaking, we are beyond grateful to the incredible firefighters, emergency personnel and all who responded swiftly and worked tirelessly to extinguish the fire, their work and effort was nothing short of amazing and we are forever grateful.
As we begin to process this loss, please know that our thoughts are also with our staff and the community who have supported us for so long.
To everyone who has reached out, thank you. Your kind words, memories, and support mean the world to us. Right now, we’re taking time to process everything, and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate the emotional days ahead.
La Hacienda, a neighboring restaurant, also posted a message on Facebook in support of Michael's.
It’s a sad day for Pine Avenue and our local restaurant community. We are still shocked and in disbelief of the fire that took place right next door to us at Michael’s. Our thoughts and prayers go out to our neighbors of many years, the Capizzi family and staff. If anything is needed we are here for you guys. Some how we were lucky enough to not sustain any damage to our building and will be able to OPEN for business as usual. Please keep the Michael’s family and staff in your prayers as they navigate through this horrible situation. We’d also like to acknowledge the NFFD and other first responder’s for there quick response and swift action to contain the fire. Thank You.
Residents say the loss reaches beyond just a building.
“It’s going to definitely affect the whole community, not only Pine Avenue, but the whole city,” said Russ Petrozzi, the general manager of Capitol Cleaners on Main St. “It’s a big loss. That’s one of the big staples in Niagara Falls.”
Another resident called the fire “heartbreaking” and reflected on the larger challenges facing Pine Avenue.
“It’s sad to see…Pine Avenue, as it is, is diminishing. A lot of businesses are gone.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The Michael’s family is asking for time and patience as they begin to navigate the difficult road ahead.
