WHITEHOUSE, Ohio — After a Wednesday morning fire forced the Whitehouse Inn to close for the "coming weeks," owner Tony Fronk, said the community stepped up to show their support.
"The Mayor (Don Atkinson) called me twice. He called me in the morning, he called me this afternoon. 'What do you need? what do you need?'" Fronk said.
Other restaurants, like Local Thyme, offered a helping hand to Fronk as he grappled with what to do next.
Whitehouse Inn faithful Paul Willis said he's not surprised by all the support. Willis has been coming to the Inn for more than 20 years; it was the first restaurant he dined at after moving to Ohio.
"Tony rallies around this community, so, they're going pay him back in love and support and businesses and whatever has to happen," Willis said.
Fronk said the kitchen fire was not a serious fire and no one was hurt, but there was a lot of damage. He said current estimates by insurance and health inspections project a couple of weeks of closure for the community staple.
Blake Reed has been a dishwasher at Whitehouse Inn since the summer of 2022 and just got a job as a pizza maker for Crust Pizzeria, Fronk's other restaurant. He said he loves working for the Fronk family and the inn's closure is a massive deal for the family and community.
"Not being open for a little bit is going to affect a lot of people. I know there are regulars that go in there every day," Reed said. "They're going to be missing out on getting to talk with their friends and family over there."
Reed remembers going to the Whitehouse Inn after sports when he was younger.
A restaurant like Whitehouse is a community staple due to how long it has been serving its loyal customers, many of whom decided to dine at Crust to support Fronk.
Fronk's daughter, Makenna Jervis-Fronk, said her classmates were supportive and kind at school when news of the fire broke. She said she's proud of the family-like community her parents and the employees have built together, making everyone feel welcome.
"(At Crust and at the Whitehouse Inn), everyone who works for them is part of our family and it's a great dynamic to be involved in," she said.
Owning two restaurants is a lot of work, Fronk said. But, he's happy the community is rallying behind them. His main focus is on fixing the kitchen and making sure the Whitehouse Inn employees will be okay during the restaurant's closure.
To support the WhiteHouse Inn, visit Crust Pizzeria. Donations can be made by contacting Fronk through the Whitehouse Inn Facebook page.