News

Fire guts Bill's Cafe and AJ's Quick Clean Center at Midtown shopping plaza

Blaze destroys 2 businesses, damage to Philz Coffee and Palo Alto Fine Wine and Spirits continues to be assessed

A fire that broke out late Wednesday night at a Midtown shopping plaza destroyed Bill's Cafe and AJ's Quick Clean Center before firefighters extinguished it.

Palo Alto firefighters inspect businesses affected by a three-alarm fire that broke out at 3175 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto on Feb. 1, 2023. Photo taken Feb. 2, 2023, by Gennady Sheyner.

Firefighters responded to the fire at 3175 Middlefield Road around 11:15 p.m. They arrived to find flames largely at AJ's Quick Clean Center, Palo Alto fire Battalion Chief Ryan Stoddard said. The blaze extended through a common attic space shared with three other businesses, Philz Coffee, Bill's Cafe and Palo Alto Fine Wine and Spirits, which also sustained damage.

Stoddard said that based on the magnitude of the flames, it appeared that the fire was burning for some time before firefighters arrived.

"It was ripping out the front when we showed up, with heavy flame coming out of the laundromat," Stoddard said.

The roof above AJ's and Bill's Cafe collapsed, mostly impacting the dry cleaning business. Crews spent about 90 minutes getting the fire under control, according to Stoddard.

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It appears the blaze started at AJ's, which was "completely burned" based on char patterns, Stoddard said. The damage there was significant enough to burn through electrical panels, which melted and burned. Both the dry cleaning business and Bill's Cafe were heavily damaged Thursday morning and it remained unclear whether the building would need to be rebuilt entirely or if can be salvaged through major remodeling, according to city officials.

Stoddard estimated the fire caused more than $1 million in damage. It appears AJ's and Bill's Cafe will need to be rebuilt. The Philz Coffee and Palo Alto Fine Wine and Spirits, which are the bookends of the strip mall, appear to be salvageable. Fire Department officials also arrived to perform shoring work on the businesses to make them safe to enter.

Crews made sure the fire didn't extend to other parts of the building before wrapping up their response around 2:30 a.m. Thursday. They stayed on fire watch into the early morning hours.

All the businesses had been closed and locked when firefighters reached the scene. No injuries were reported. Electrical and gas services were shut down to all four businesses.

Fire investigators were at the scene Thursday morning to identify the cause of the fire. The work will involve going through the rubble and looking for burn patterns to determine where they fire started.

Red tape blocked access to the four impacted businesses, which were closed on Thursday morning as fire investigators and a building inspector were on-site assessing the damage. Roughly 10 hours after the fire broke out, the interior of AJ's Quick Clean Center and Bill's Cafe was gutted and debris was visible on the sidewalk facing Middlefield Road.

Neighbors out for their morning walks stopped to survey the damage outside the plaza and mourned the loss of two local businesses. AJ's Quick Clean Center, also known as AJ Cleaners, has been at its location since 1962. Bill's Cafe opened the Middlefield Road restaurant in 2015.

"I'm just sad," said resident Suzanne Usiskan, who lives in the neighborhood. "Everyone from these neighborhoods go to these places."

Judith and Jerry Klein, who eat at Bill's Cafe about twice a month, said the restaurant is popular among area residents.

"It's a neighborhood spot," Judith Klein said. "Everyone comes here, you meet people, you sit outside and the service is great."

Vice Mayor Greer Stone, who lives just north of the shopping plaza, said he was shocked to see the heavy damage to businesses that he normally visits on a daily basis. He surveyed the scene on Thursday morning and talked to firefighters and a store manager at Philz, his regular coffee shop.

The big outstanding question, he said, is whether the entire building could be saved of if it would have to be rebuilt. He noted that Midtown already has a dearth of resident-serving businesses, which makes the loss of places like AJ's and Bill's particularly difficult.

"It's a dramatic loss for the Midtown community and the city as a whole, as well as the region," Stone said. "Any time over the weekend that I visit any place in the shopping center, it's absolutely packed. It's a magnet for people in the region."

When reached by phone, Bill's Cafe franchise owner Nick Tapelis said he was busy making calls to deal with "this mess." He didn't have an estimate regarding the cafe's losses.

"It doesn't look good," he said on Thursday afternoon.

Christy Smith, vice president of marketing for Philz, said in an email that no Philz employees were injured in the fire.

"We are working with authorities to assess the condition of our Middlefield store location and will be closed until further notice. Customers can visit the nearby Forest Avenue and Sunnyvale locations," she said.

Palo Alto crews received assistance from the Santa Clara County and Mountain View fire departments, as well as the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety, in putting out the blaze.

"Crews did a really good job of getting knockdown," Stoddard said. While it took awhile to reach the attic, "we easily could've lost that whole complex."

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Fire guts Bill's Cafe and AJ's Quick Clean Center at Midtown shopping plaza

Blaze destroys 2 businesses, damage to Philz Coffee and Palo Alto Fine Wine and Spirits continues to be assessed

by Palo Alto Weekly staff / Palo Alto Weekly

Uploaded: Thu, Feb 2, 2023, 8:54 am
Updated: Fri, Feb 3, 2023, 8:01 pm

A fire that broke out late Wednesday night at a Midtown shopping plaza destroyed Bill's Cafe and AJ's Quick Clean Center before firefighters extinguished it.

Firefighters responded to the fire at 3175 Middlefield Road around 11:15 p.m. They arrived to find flames largely at AJ's Quick Clean Center, Palo Alto fire Battalion Chief Ryan Stoddard said. The blaze extended through a common attic space shared with three other businesses, Philz Coffee, Bill's Cafe and Palo Alto Fine Wine and Spirits, which also sustained damage.

Stoddard said that based on the magnitude of the flames, it appeared that the fire was burning for some time before firefighters arrived.

"It was ripping out the front when we showed up, with heavy flame coming out of the laundromat," Stoddard said.

The roof above AJ's and Bill's Cafe collapsed, mostly impacting the dry cleaning business. Crews spent about 90 minutes getting the fire under control, according to Stoddard.

It appears the blaze started at AJ's, which was "completely burned" based on char patterns, Stoddard said. The damage there was significant enough to burn through electrical panels, which melted and burned. Both the dry cleaning business and Bill's Cafe were heavily damaged Thursday morning and it remained unclear whether the building would need to be rebuilt entirely or if can be salvaged through major remodeling, according to city officials.

Stoddard estimated the fire caused more than $1 million in damage. It appears AJ's and Bill's Cafe will need to be rebuilt. The Philz Coffee and Palo Alto Fine Wine and Spirits, which are the bookends of the strip mall, appear to be salvageable. Fire Department officials also arrived to perform shoring work on the businesses to make them safe to enter.

Crews made sure the fire didn't extend to other parts of the building before wrapping up their response around 2:30 a.m. Thursday. They stayed on fire watch into the early morning hours.

All the businesses had been closed and locked when firefighters reached the scene. No injuries were reported. Electrical and gas services were shut down to all four businesses.

Fire investigators were at the scene Thursday morning to identify the cause of the fire. The work will involve going through the rubble and looking for burn patterns to determine where they fire started.

Red tape blocked access to the four impacted businesses, which were closed on Thursday morning as fire investigators and a building inspector were on-site assessing the damage. Roughly 10 hours after the fire broke out, the interior of AJ's Quick Clean Center and Bill's Cafe was gutted and debris was visible on the sidewalk facing Middlefield Road.

Neighbors out for their morning walks stopped to survey the damage outside the plaza and mourned the loss of two local businesses. AJ's Quick Clean Center, also known as AJ Cleaners, has been at its location since 1962. Bill's Cafe opened the Middlefield Road restaurant in 2015.

"I'm just sad," said resident Suzanne Usiskan, who lives in the neighborhood. "Everyone from these neighborhoods go to these places."

Judith and Jerry Klein, who eat at Bill's Cafe about twice a month, said the restaurant is popular among area residents.

"It's a neighborhood spot," Judith Klein said. "Everyone comes here, you meet people, you sit outside and the service is great."

Vice Mayor Greer Stone, who lives just north of the shopping plaza, said he was shocked to see the heavy damage to businesses that he normally visits on a daily basis. He surveyed the scene on Thursday morning and talked to firefighters and a store manager at Philz, his regular coffee shop.

The big outstanding question, he said, is whether the entire building could be saved of if it would have to be rebuilt. He noted that Midtown already has a dearth of resident-serving businesses, which makes the loss of places like AJ's and Bill's particularly difficult.

"It's a dramatic loss for the Midtown community and the city as a whole, as well as the region," Stone said. "Any time over the weekend that I visit any place in the shopping center, it's absolutely packed. It's a magnet for people in the region."

When reached by phone, Bill's Cafe franchise owner Nick Tapelis said he was busy making calls to deal with "this mess." He didn't have an estimate regarding the cafe's losses.

"It doesn't look good," he said on Thursday afternoon.

Christy Smith, vice president of marketing for Philz, said in an email that no Philz employees were injured in the fire.

"We are working with authorities to assess the condition of our Middlefield store location and will be closed until further notice. Customers can visit the nearby Forest Avenue and Sunnyvale locations," she said.

Palo Alto crews received assistance from the Santa Clara County and Mountain View fire departments, as well as the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety, in putting out the blaze.

"Crews did a really good job of getting knockdown," Stoddard said. While it took awhile to reach the attic, "we easily could've lost that whole complex."

Comments

vmshadle
Registered user
Meadow Park
on Feb 2, 2023 at 9:49 am
vmshadle, Meadow Park
Registered user
on Feb 2, 2023 at 9:49 am

I am sad for the owners of all affected businesses. Hoping that all are well insured.


Bystander
Registered user
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Feb 2, 2023 at 9:50 am
Bystander, Another Palo Alto neighborhood
Registered user
on Feb 2, 2023 at 9:50 am

How long had the Dry Cleaners been closed, I wonder. This is a well used group of businesses and will be very much missed by the local community. Very pleased nobody was hurt but sad to see the businesses unable to open.


felix
Registered user
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Feb 2, 2023 at 9:56 am
felix, Another Palo Alto neighborhood
Registered user
on Feb 2, 2023 at 9:56 am

Oh no!.
These businesses are side by side on Middlefield, taking up the entire block. If this was on University Ave, would it have been referred to as happening at a strip mall? Hardly. So why here?

This is awful. These businesses all provide wanted and needed services to Midtown residents and others in town.

My heart goes out to the business operators and neighbors. Thank you fire fighters for you work.


AlanDavis
Registered user
St. Claire Gardens
on Feb 2, 2023 at 1:05 pm
AlanDavis, St. Claire Gardens
Registered user
on Feb 2, 2023 at 1:05 pm

Someone needs to explain how long it took for the firefighters to arrive. There are no fire engines in south Palo Alto. Station 4 on Middlefield and Charleston is closed except for medical responses. The fire engine would need to come from either the Arastradero station or the Embarcadero and Newell station.


Novelera
Registered user
Midtown
on Feb 2, 2023 at 1:11 pm
Novelera, Midtown
Registered user
on Feb 2, 2023 at 1:11 pm

Dealing with insurance companies can be a nightmare. I don't know enough about city finances to know if there is some sort of emergency fund. Many businesses like this received PPP loans during the worst of the COVID pandemic. Having to be closed, whether for a pandemic or a fire, can be a disaster for a small business. I do realize that Philz and Bill's have other locations. But it's still a really hard blow to any business. I hope something is available to help them weather the storm.


Novelera
Registered user
Midtown
on Feb 2, 2023 at 1:17 pm
Novelera, Midtown
Registered user
on Feb 2, 2023 at 1:17 pm

@AlanDavis, my guess would be that the hour: 11:15 and the fact that the building is not right beside residences could account for so much of the fire happening before firefighters arrived. When there was a fire next door to me, in Midtown, they were there SO quickly. But it was around 6PM. I assume that firefighters come when someone calls 911, unless there is a magic signal that they get whenever there's smoke or flames.


Judith Kenney
Registered user
Crescent Park
on Feb 2, 2023 at 5:13 pm
Judith Kenney, Crescent Park
Registered user
on Feb 2, 2023 at 5:13 pm

I've been going to AJ's Quick Clean since 1985. Chris and his whole family are wonderful. The pandemic and now this tragic fire. I am so very sorry and heartbroken for them.


Rebecca Eisenberg
Registered user
Old Palo Alto
on Feb 2, 2023 at 5:23 pm
Rebecca Eisenberg, Old Palo Alto
Registered user
on Feb 2, 2023 at 5:23 pm

This is a tragic loss for our community. Even though I live in North PA, my family and I frequent(ed) Pete's and Bill's--and we are/were regular (at least twice/weekly) customers of AJ's Cleaners. We also have visited the liquor store in the past, and found everyone there-like at the other 3 businesses-to be friendly, professional, helpful, and very good at their jobs. Bill's is/was my son's (and many of his teammates on the Paly Baseball Team's) favorite spot for breakfast & brunch. These businesses have been essential to our community. They are invaluable.

I feel particularly bad for AJ's. Not only are they the best and most ethical dry cleaners I had found in decades, but they are a local family-owned business that has served our community for decades. I have had the pleasure of getting to know the owner (because he does much of his own delivery and many other customer-facing jobs) and personally admire and respect him and his work, and appreciate the high-integrity service he has provided for our community. This loss is heartbreaking.

So much is under investigation, which takes time, including what started the fire, and whether it was intentional or accidental, but missing from press coverage is who owns this commercial building.

I searched public records and found:
Owner:
3155-3199 MIDDLEFIELD ROAD LLC
25 E Pier, Kappa's Marina
Sausalito, CA 94965
which points to Web Link
and Web Link (search for "3155-3199 Middlefield Road LLC"), which indicates that the LLC has not submitted its mandatory information statement, but past records suggest ownership by Lenore & Robert Cavallero, who may live in Hillsborough.

The owners usually are responsible for maintaining property in safe condition. That may not be relevant here. Owners also usually control insurance proceeds & decide next steps. Will they (try to) rebuild as commercial office? What do they say?

It is a very sad day.


BP Parent
Registered user
Barron Park
on Feb 2, 2023 at 6:46 pm
BP Parent, Barron Park
Registered user
on Feb 2, 2023 at 6:46 pm

Wait and see. This will be an excuse to rebuild a 6 story condo at the site. All businesses in PA are being driven out one way or another.


Online Name
Registered user
Embarcadero Oaks/Leland
on Feb 2, 2023 at 7:46 pm
Online Name, Embarcadero Oaks/Leland
Registered user
on Feb 2, 2023 at 7:46 pm

And after they drive the businesses out they can hire more staff and consultants to tell us to get out of our cars tand to stop driving to where the businesses relocate.

Go glad mental health is a priority.


carolanniejoan
Registered user
Midtown
on Feb 2, 2023 at 9:36 pm
carolanniejoan, Midtown
Registered user
on Feb 2, 2023 at 9:36 pm

When I lived in PA (Midtown) I patronized all these businesses. Especially the wonderful deli-restaurant, that preceded Bill’s. I can’t recall the name(s) of this charming place, and wonder if any PAWeekly readers can refresh my memory. I sincerely hope the wonderful patio remains.


Bystander
Registered user
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Feb 2, 2023 at 9:40 pm
Bystander, Another Palo Alto neighborhood
Registered user
on Feb 2, 2023 at 9:40 pm

I agree with others that this will probably be replaced with condos and retail on ground floor but not the same useful amenities and the outdoor seating area which has been there as long as I remember with a Mediterranean ambience, will be lost forever. Such a shame that another place with character is no longer going to exist.

Hope I'm wrong.


Jeremy Erman
Registered user
Midtown
on Feb 2, 2023 at 11:58 pm
Jeremy Erman, Midtown
Registered user
on Feb 2, 2023 at 11:58 pm

So sad. I used to frequent the Pommard deli which occupied the space before Bill's, and also remember the Creme de Cafe which preceded Philz (and the previously-named Century Liquors). All the businesses there have been well-loved, and the outdoor seating and trees are really wonderful. It's a very inviting spot. Hope they can preserve as much of that as possible--it's a large part of what draws people there.


Realistic
Registered user
Midtown
on Feb 3, 2023 at 10:49 am
Realistic, Midtown
Registered user
on Feb 3, 2023 at 10:49 am

Feel terrible for the owners, workers, and clientele of the businesses!

I unfortunately picked last week to drop off all my work clothes at the cleaners. I imagine this will take a while to sort out, but does anyone have any advice on how I could submit a claim as well?


III
Registered user
Midtown
on Feb 3, 2023 at 12:29 pm
III, Midtown
Registered user
on Feb 3, 2023 at 12:29 pm

How often do Dry Cleaners burn down? Very odd with my limited knowledge.
I am very disappointed for the 4 businesses and patrons. Thank you Palo Alto Fire Dept
for the quick response. When/if open again, I will visit and use all the stores ASAP.
III


Old PA Resident
Registered user
Old Palo Alto
on Feb 3, 2023 at 2:33 pm
Old PA Resident, Old Palo Alto
Registered user
on Feb 3, 2023 at 2:33 pm

So very sorry to hear this. We've known Chris for years and been lucky to be one of his customers. Chris -- please know some of us don't need a 'claim' for our clothes that were in the cleaners at the time of the fire. It's the least we can do for your wonderful service. We are thinking of you and hope you can rebuild.


Bystander
Registered user
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Feb 4, 2023 at 8:41 am
Bystander, Another Palo Alto neighborhood
Registered user
on Feb 4, 2023 at 8:41 am

By chance I noticed this had been updated again. It is very confusing when an article is updated with more information. How many times should we check to see if an important news item has fresh information?

Daily? For how long?


PST
Registered user
South of Midtown
on Feb 7, 2023 at 1:03 pm
PST, South of Midtown
Registered user
on Feb 7, 2023 at 1:03 pm

So glad no one was hurt. I hope all businesses return as they were or better and thrive in the near future. I wouldn’t be surprised if fire started at the dry cleaners/laundromat. Anyone who looked in the door could see mounds of stuff all over the place, a real mess.


Optimist Pessimist Realist
Registered user
East Palo Alto
on Feb 7, 2023 at 2:45 pm
Optimist Pessimist Realist , East Palo Alto
Registered user
on Feb 7, 2023 at 2:45 pm

AJ’s is ethical? Sounds like Rebecca doesn’t know about AJ’s tax fraud case.


MyFeelz
Registered user
another community
on Feb 7, 2023 at 7:30 pm
MyFeelz, another community
Registered user
on Feb 7, 2023 at 7:30 pm

Ms. Eisenberg, how does the Secretary Of State's filing show that the people who have an LLC using the name "3155-3199 MIDDLEFIELD ROAD LLC" is the owner of the properties that burned down? I'm curious how you determined that. I once googled my mother's address and her name and address are also being used for an LLC that she may or may not know about. She's dead, BTW. And she never owned or operated a business at her house or anywhere else.

The County Clerk is the only one who knows who owns that property. And even though it's public information, it's not accessible to the public. Their website Web Link says this:

"Real estate records for Santa Clara County since 1850 are available after they have been recorded. These records will only be available for purchase in person or by mail. This affords greater privacy protections to all individuals whose information appears in the database, and furthers use of the index only for lawful and appropriate purposes."

Did you go to the clerk's office and pay the fees, or did you do it by mail, to discover the owners of the property that burned down? The article didn't identify the owner. Or did I miss it?


MyFeelz
Registered user
another community
on Feb 7, 2023 at 7:34 pm
MyFeelz, another community
Registered user
on Feb 7, 2023 at 7:34 pm

As for condos at that location ... driving on Middlefield through Palo Alto is like trying to squeeze a quarter into a dime slot. Scary. Housing at that location would be downright deadly. I wonder if Palo Alto wants to claim the "work from home" trophy where people just move in and never go out their door.


Online Name
Registered user
Embarcadero Oaks/Leland
on Feb 7, 2023 at 7:50 pm
Online Name, Embarcadero Oaks/Leland
Registered user
on Feb 7, 2023 at 7:50 pm

That's why I've long coined the phrase "PIMBY" for Prisoner in My Back Yard.

Re driving on Middlefield being like trying to squeeze a quarter into a dime slot, you can thank our former Transportation "leaders" for much of the problem ince they put bollards and EVEERY Middlefield intersection which prevents drivers from bypassing turning traffic, thus backing up traffic =-- sometimes into the middle of Embarcadero and/or Oregon.


MyFeelz
Registered user
another community
on Feb 7, 2023 at 10:37 pm
MyFeelz, another community
Registered user
on Feb 7, 2023 at 10:37 pm

@Online Name, just blame COVID. That's what everybody else is doing.


Bystander
Registered user
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Feb 8, 2023 at 8:04 am
Bystander, Another Palo Alto neighborhood
Registered user
on Feb 8, 2023 at 8:04 am

Since this was updated on Friday, there is no more news.

Except of course that the staff have been displaced and the customers are scrambling to find other places to take the place of these neighborhood favorites.

Bills was always busy at weekends and never empty weekdays. Philz was always busy with customers including local police and fire dept., so much so that crossing Middlefield/Loma Verde was always problematic particularly during morning commute time. Both parking lots were always hard to find a spot with cars backing up Middlefield and others idling in the center waiting for a spot to appear.

Nextdoor is full of questions about alternative businesses for regulars to use instead.

So where are people going? Are the Midtown and Charleston businesses doing better as a result? Is traffic worse or better at the Middlefield Loma Verde intersection? Are people driving to get their coffee instead of having a brisk walk to go to brunch or buy their morning Joe?

The consequences of this fire are only just beginning to hit home to the community.


MyFeelz
Registered user
another community
on Feb 9, 2023 at 11:54 am
MyFeelz, another community
Registered user
on Feb 9, 2023 at 11:54 am

It's weird, Bystander, how an article floats just above the bilge pump, trapped by half truths and false accusations, until it gets hooked and yanked out and replaced by a different related article. The internet is forever. LOL.

I drove past the site yesterday , on my way to the bank, and the rubberneckers made the traffic even worse than it ever was when the businesses were operating. I don't think they could EVER turn it into condos that would increase traffic at all hours of the day. No bike lanes, and with so many students coming and going. A kid was weaving through traffic on an electric scooter. Just a recipe for disaster. Google Street View from January 2023 shows a construction crew. I hope wise decisions are made in the restoration of the commercial ventures there. Because condos above retail would take YEARS to complete. We already have more detours, cone zones and flaggers than direct roads these days.


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