Amber Jenkins remains in a wait-and-see mode to determine if she will rebuild her Bluefin Restaurant in Souris after the business was destroyed by fire one month ago.
“I’ve had a hard time making any concrete decisions,’’ says Jenkins.
A fire on May 6 consumed the building that was home to a popular restaurant owned and operated by Jenkins for the past several years – a business first opened by Annie and Keith MacKenzie in the 1970s.
The fire marshall's office has ruled the cause of the blaze "undetermined'' due to structural damage.
Jenkins does not anticipate any issue in receiving compensation under her fire insurance coverage. Still, she is hesitant to commit to restarting the restaurant with the uncertain business climate that persists under the ongoing global pandemic.
The restaurant under her proprietorship had been open year-round, closing only on Christmas and Boxing Day.
Jenkins says she had to roll up her sleeves during the pandemic to be able to “really make a go of it.’’ Her partner, Jordan Dennis, a trained chef who was working as a food service provider before the pandemic, had been cooking meals at the restaurant before the fire.
She has been keeping an eye on how other restaurants on P.E.I. are coping under Chief Public Health Office operation guidelines since they were given the green light to re-open on June 1 for both indoor and patio dining.
Jenkins says she has had enjoyable dining experiences at two restaurants in Charlottetown since the re-opening.
“I just have to stay positive in terms of reminding people to support local and reminding people to be kind to each other,’’ she says.
