HERNANDO BEACH, Fla. — Brian Alvarez stood and stared at the fire damage Tuesday morning.
“To wake up at at 5 ‘o clock in the morning and get this phone call it’s surreal,” he said.
Brian’s Place is the restaurant he and his family started 21 years ago in Hernando Beach.
His father passed away in 2016. Now, Brian and his family continue the legacy.
“I’m just doing my dream out here. Doing what I always wanted to do.”
But this restaurant has had its share of setbacks.
We were there in 2023 as they came back after flooding from Hurricane Idalia just missed getting inside.
But they didn’t get as lucky in September.
Hurricane Helene pushed four feet of storm surge into the restaurant.
Months of renovation followed and they just reopened five weeks ago.
“We just had our first week last week, and we were hoping that we could be able to start getting back on our feet,” Alvarez said.
But now this fire has them closed down again.
Hernando County Fire Rescue said it was likely caused by an electrical issue inside the wall.
The remodeled dining area was spared, but other areas did not.
“I’ve been very blessed to have all these employees stay with me for the three months of rebuild that we went through from Hurricane Helene. And they are hurting just like I’m hurting, and me and my family are,” Brian said.
Other restaurants in Hernando Beach have offered to help with freezer space and restoration.
Brian is, thankfully, once again to be in this community.
“I don’t know what else to do but be strong and ask for help from people that can help us get through what we have to and get back to cooking,” said Alvarez.
A disabled veteran bought solar panels to reduce energy costs, but he could lose his home after learning that the financing he thought he was approved for fell through. The I-Team is digging into how the homeowner applied for a loan that wasn’t even available in his county and who stands to benefit.
