‘We’ll be down’: Fire damages Collectors Cafe & Gallery in Myrtle Beach
Fire crews battled a blaze at a North Kings Highway restaurant on Thursday night.
Around 10 p.m., crews were called to a fire at the Collectors Cafe & Gallery, 7740 N Kings Hwy. It was reported smoke and flames were coming from the sides and the roof of the cafe.
Collectors Cafe & Gallery opened in 1994 and features coffee, fine dining and Mediterranean dishes, and serves as an art gallery.
“I don’t think it can be more depressing than this right here,” Co-owner Mike Smith said as crews poured water on to the building. “But, hey man, when you consider all the other stuff going on in the world, it’s not too bad.”
Smith said he believed a fire started in the breaker box in the office and bathroom area.
“It’s bad and we’ll be down for several, several months,” Smith said.
Fire crews helped remove most of the artwork from the gallery so it could be saved.
“The art looked good that I was pulling out,” Smith said. “[The fire] wasn’t on that side of the building.”
Police closed Kings Highway near 77th Avenue North while crews battle the fire. There are at least seven fire trucks and a ladder truck to help at the scene.
Crews were also checking to see if there was any damage in the attached Subway restaurant.
This story was originally published July 16, 2020 at 10:27 PM.
