by Andrew Alonzo | aalonzo@claremont-courier.com

Friday marks three months since an early morning fire forced the closure of Walter’s Restaurant, the beloved Yale Avenue eatery that had recently celebrated its 50^th anniversary.

Dawoud Ghafarshad, Walter’s director of events and operations and general manager, said he’s hoping to reopen sometime in the spring.

“It’s just hard to say between permits and plans, and whether we submit plans, and we have to resubmit them, or stay with any sort of restoration construction process. It’s hard to tell,” he said. “We’re going to hope for April or May.”

An August fire caused “easily over $1 million” in damage, Ghafarshad said. After speaking with the restaurant’s insurers, Ghafarshad’s understanding is the blaze was likely caused by a greasy rag that caught fire near the restaurant’s water heater.

Ghafarshad had hoped to partially reopen the north side of the restaurant that was untouched by the fire, but too many hurdles arose.

“All the things that we had to do, between the permits and then we would have to get new sewer lines and water lines and gas lines and all these things to operate from a different area, it just didn’t seem like it would work,” he said. “And by the time that we got all that stuff, you know, we assumed that we would reopen normally anyway, so we didn’t take that route.”

Workers have made progress in repairing Walter’s patio, Ghafarshad said, but most of the repairs made to the Yale Avenue side of the structure are not the restaurant’s doing.

“The owner of the building just wanted to do a little face lift in front of the sidewalk patio, but that’s all that is,” he said.

Most of the repairs and construction at Walter’s to date have been to its patio. Ghafarshad said that area may look different with the addition of windows and new pillars once completed, but no major structural renovations are planned. Clean up efforts on the interior of the restaurant have yet to commence.

Walter’s is also bracing for staff changes. Ghafarshad said he has heard talk among employees that they’ll stick around for the eventual reopening, but would understand if some left for another opportunity.

“I mean, I’m sure there inevitably is going to be changes to the staff because I’m sure a lot of people will have found new jobs,” he said. “I’ve definitely tried to keep most of the management staff on duty somehow, whether it be painting a room or helping us clean up or something, so that they can stay with us. And then a few of the employees that have been with us for 20-plus years, we’ve been keeping them on hand.”

Ghafarshad said the menu may look slightly different when the restaurant reopens.

“I’m sure that there will be changes to the menu and probably some new upgraded things,” he said. “Possibly a new chef or something like that, but we promise to keep all of our signature dishes people have loved throughout the years and just add a new flair to it.”

Walter’s continues to book events at waltersrestaurant.com. As a potential reopening date becomes clearer, Ghafarshad said he will contact any impacted customers.

For information and updates, visit waltersrestaurant.com.