Las Vegas Review-Journal
(TNS)
Owners of the viral Tastebudz Creole Kitchen are mourning the loss of one of their restaurants in a Friday morning fire on Maryland Parkway across from UNLV.
Marsean and Latricsha “Chef Trish” Nelson posted on social media that the restaurant in the 4600 block of Maryland Parkway was a complete loss.
“Pray for us and all the other businesses. This is devastating to the core,” the post said.
The blaze, which was first reported just after 8:10 a.m., destroyed several businesses including the U.S. Postal Service’s University Post Office, leaving only structural concrete and metal beams in its place. Crown Electric Tattoo also burned down in the fire; other businesses that were lost in the blaze weren’t immediately identifiable.
Owners of the University Gardens Shopping Center couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Clark County Senior Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Touchstone said the cause of the fire remained under investigation.
In a statement, the Postal Service said the University Post Office has relocated services to the Paradise Valley Post Office at 4975 University Center Drive. The Postal Service didn’t address the amount of mail lost in the fire in its statement.
Immanuel Neeley, who does social media marketing for Tastebudz, arrived at the scene at around 1 p.m. He said the operators of the restaurant are choosing to remain optimistic in the wake of the loss.
“We always think God has a greater plan,” he said. “There’s probably a bigger restaurant somewhere for us. It’s sad because, you know, it’s a lot of employees that we got to make sure they’re straight, their families are OK.”
According to Neeley, the restaurant had around 12 employees. While Tastebudz has another location at 1917 N. Decatur Blvd. and a food truck, the Maryland Parkway location was a “hot spot,” said Neeley, because of its proximity to the airport.
“We’re just gonna keep moving forward. We got another restaurant opening up in the next month. We just want everybody’s support,” said Neeley. “We’re probably gonna end up opening back up the food truck.”
In a social media post Friday afternoon, Crown Electric Tattoo stated that “everything” was lost in the fire.
“We are absolutely devastated,” the post read. “My heart is with OUR CREW and our NEIGHBORS in the plaza. We’ve lost everything. All of us. Everything.”
The post went on to say that the shop’s staff lost their means of income and jewelry, artwork and more were lost in the fire.
Eli Martinez said he saw the plumes of smoke from blocks away. He frequents the University Gardens Shopping Center and has gotten multiple tattoos at Crown Electric.
“It’s a bummer,” said Martinez. “I’m surprised, and really kind of irritated because now I can’t get my tattoos here.”
Mark Somoza was eating at In-N-Out and stopped by the wreckage after hearing the news. He frequented the post office in the center.
“I made my way over here to check it out,” said Somoza. “It’s pretty crazy how much of it burnt down.”
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