Owner Jody Escoe said there hasn’t been another fire like it in the decades it’s been open, but thankfully the damage to the restaurant from Wednesday’s fire was minimal.

“This building has been here since ‘86, and Chuck’s has been going since ‘76,” Escoe said. “We’ve had some grease get on the roof occasionally, but it usually burns right off, no big deal, not to this degree. But we were really blessed that not a lot happened.”

The extent of the damage to the store at 205 Short Ave. is unknown at this time, though Escoe and his insurance agent were working Thursday to assess the damages before reopening.

Chuck's specializes in chipped and chopped pork, chicken, ribs and Brunswick stew, and cooks its meat in a large smoker inside the building.

The store, which also serves breakfast, normally opens at 8 a.m. Monday to Saturday and is closed on Sundays.