Photo Courtesy of hMag.com
It was a lousy way to start the new year, that’s for sure. 4:30 in the afternoon on New Year’s Day, the fire alarm at D’s Soul Full Cafe starts wailing, we could smell smoke and then water started rushing in from a broken pipe above us. A fire had apparently started in the light fixture inside the bathroom above our cafe.
In the moments that followed, my partner Dwight and I ran around like a couple of stooges. Bumping into each other and the furniture, trying to decide exactly what to grab. What is it you’re supposed to do? Neither of us had ever been in this situation before. I grabbed the cash and the insurance papers and ran outside.
At first, the reality wasn’t setting in. Not until later when we were allowed back into the cafe. Dark, cold with the stench of smoke and the sound of water now pouring down throughout the place thanks to the the fire hoses. That’s when we knew that this was about as real as anything could get. Initial estimates were that it could take months before anyone — including us — would be allowed back into the building.
In the days and (eventually) weeks of tedium and frustration that followed, the thing that kept us going was the outpouring of support from the Hoboken community. Such as the word that The Hoboken Rotary Club and The Elks had come together to host a benefit for all of the victims of the building fire. Besides our not being able to open our business, eight families lost their homes and belongings.
Joining in the efforts are the fine folks at hMag who announced this event as their monthly hMixer. Here are the details for the event. If you can’t make it but still want to help, you can make a donation by clicking here.
hMag’s February hMixer
In an effort to help D’s Soul Full Cafe and all the residents of 918 Willow Ave get back on their feet, please join us…
Thursday, February 26 at 7PM
Elks Lodge #74
1005 Washington St
Hoboken NJ 07030
Suggested Donation: $50
– Click here to get tickets or make a donation
This includes an Open Bar & Live Music featuring:
– Dave Calamoneri
– Debby Schwartz
– Las Vandelays
– The Fave
– Allison Strong
– Karyn Kuhl
Our friends at Dark Side of the Moo will be on hand to feed everyone.
If you’d like to purchase tickets in advance — or you’re unable to attend but still want to donate — please Click Here.
Also, my friends at Dromedary Records are donating proceeds from all sales up until the night of the show! So go buy some music!
See you there and thank you to everyone involved. I can’t express enough how much this means to me and to everyone in the building.
