SALEM TOWNSHIP, MI – Karl’s Cabin, 6005 Gotfredson Road in Plymouth, Salem Township, owned by the Greek-American Poulos family, is a staple in the area but was severely damaged by a devastating fire on February 15. Now undergoing renovations, the family hopes to reopen the restaurant this summer, Click on Detroit reported on March 16.

“It’s nothing short of a miracle it didn’t burn to the ground considering it is nearly 100 years old and is a log cabin with dozens of layers of varnish,” Click on Detroit reported, adding that “as flames heated propane tanks, everyone — staff and customers — calmly evacuated.”

Server Mandy Morgan told Click on Detroit that “we lost a lot that night. This is home for us, you know, the Poulos family, our Karl’s family, it’s heartbreaking.”

“Heroic firefighting saved the popular place, but the flames forced it to close,” Click on Detroit reported, noting that “wait staff lost their jobs.”

“Still, the owners felt they had one play to make: pay their 90 staffers what they could, many up to 50 percent,” Click on Detroit reported, adding that “while it’s not so unusual for employees to pitch in and help keep a business going after a fire, most everyone rolled up their sleeves, volunteering to carry the restaurant’s contents to storage containers and help clean things up.”

“Then something else special happened,” Click on Detroit reported, pointing out that “they started a bowling league” and “co-owner Peter Poulos said that 70 people now meet once a week.”

“Have a chance to just catch up and chat and not talk about the fire, just see how everyone’s doing. That’s when I get to experience that holy cow moment,” Peter Poulos told Click on Detroit.

“Server Matt Alfera was in the restaurant when the fire broke out,” Click on Detroit reported, adding that he said: “To get that supplemental income definitely, it’s a verbal commitment to come back, and I think from everyone I spoke with, everyone plans to.”

“Work is being done to try and restore the restaurant,” Click on Detroit reported, noting that “the owners said they hope to reopen sometime this summer.”

Head chef Kevin Hamilton told Click on Detroit that “they fully intend to keep the Karl’s Kitchen favorites when they reopen, but he’s using the downtime to come up with some new and fresh offerings to celebrate.”