LEXINGTON, N.C. — People in Lexington are opening their hearts and pockets to help reopen a restaurant gutted by flames.
"We'll build back but right now we just feel loss," Brooke Bishop said.
Bishop and her mother, Tammy Cornell own Brooker T's Cafe. It caught fire last week, months after its grand opening.
The restaurant was a dream and a bright spot in a hard year. Cornell lost her mother last fall and her father three weeks ago.
"It's been overwhelming for her to go through another loss. Not only did she lose both her parents, she just lost everything that she's ever worked for," Bishop said.
Will Yarborough owns AxeHole Axe Throwing & Friction Skating Rink which opened just before Brooker T's did. His business donated 20 percent of its profits to the restaurant.
"At this point, I think anything helps," Yarborough said.
Jerry Towler held raffles and collected donations at Olde Well Tavern. They collected more than $7,500 for Brooker T's.
"We knew they had employees that needed to be paid and I’ve been out of work all week. We reacted really fast and got a bunch of stuff together," Towler said.
Much of the money comes as a show of gratitude for two women who mean a lot to their customers and peers.
"I knew that if the roles were reversed they would do everything they could to help us," Yarborough said.
"They're such good people. They're so down to earth and we've been friends, and they supported me since I've been here," Towler said.
Bishop and her mother are touched by the support.
"It's touching to hear someone speak that highly about us and to know that we're making a positive impact on people's lives," Bishop said.
They hope to continue that impact with plans to rebuild from the ashes.
Investigators believe the fire was an accident but haven't determined the cause. No one was inside when it happened.