Just over nine months since Yamato Steak House of Japan in Corbin was damaged by fire, the restaurant opened to customers again Monday.
“We are excited,” said owner Christy He as she worked to ready the restaurant to open on Monday.
He said the menu would remain the same.
What has changed is the interior. Cameron Gerace, the site manager, for construction company Dean Builds, Inc., said the building was demolished down the wall studs and then rebuilt.
Despite the amount of work, Gerace said the project was completed on schedule.
Following the announcement on Facebook that the restaurant would reopen on Monday, employees said the phones began ringing at 10 a.m.
Lauren Elliott and Courtni Paul walked through the door just after 11 a.m. to earn the honor of the first dine-in customers.
“It was pure joy when we saw Yamato was reopening,” Elliott said.
He said Yamato is now in its 11th year in Corbin.
Yamato is open 11 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon until 8:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Corbin firefighters were called to the scene early on the morning of April 6 after a passing motorist saw smoking pouring from the building off of U.S. 25E and dialed 911.
“There was heavy smoke coming out of the building, but no flames visible,” said Corbin Fire Department Battalion Chief Jack Partin.
Firefighters had the flames knocked down within 20 minutes, but spend more than an hour performing salvage and overhaul.
Partin said the fire destroyed the kitchen area with much of the rest of the building suffering extensive smoke and heat damage.
