Sandwich Shop Rebuilds Months After Devastating Fire In Chatham

CHATHAM, NJ — Nine months have passed since an early-morning fire ravaged the historic Chatham Sandwich Shop, and for many, it has felt like a part of the community has simply disappeared.

The Chatham Sandwich Shop, which is located at 253 Main St., has been a staple in the Chatham community for over 40 years, according to business officials.

Immediately following the fire, the local community flocked to support the rebuilding effort, and Maire Frances Psomas-Jackloski, who used to work at the sandwich shop, heard about the fire and started a GoFundMe.

The campaign raised more than $43,000 for the business in total. According to the GoFundMe page, all funds raised went to the sandwich shop's staff and workers, who were out of work for a time while they rebuilt.

For months, owner Joe Arminio has been working on a complete rebuild of the sandwich shop and it is nearing closer to the finish line.

On the morning of Feb. 2 an employee told police he arrived to work and turned on the deep fryer before going into a backroom to prep for the day, according to the Chatham Police Department.

When the employee noticed smoke coming from the kitchen, he checked the fryers and discovered they were on fire, according to police.

The building in which the sandwich is housed is also home to two other business, Sunnywoods Florist and Les Cheveux Salon, which were both damaged by the fire.

After months of continuous work, the sandwich shop is close to reopening, but they still have some ways to go, according to Arminio. "We still don’t have an exact opening date but we anticipate the next few phases to go quickly."

According to a recent Facebook post, the new building's flooring and ceiling have been installed, and the construction crew is currently working on framing the interior. Arminio hopes to have the restaurant open by the end of the year.

"We sincerely appreciate from the bottom of our hearts the outpouring of love and support we have received from the Chatham community, we truly hope to be back as soon as possible doing what we love," Arminio said.