HERMITAGE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Hermitage fast food staple that served the community for decades was destroyed this week. The Captain D's on Lebanon Pike restaurant caught fire Monday.
The restaurant is a place where Tony Baker had worked for more than 30 years.
Tony has an intellectual disability. At a young age his mom pushed for him to have the same opportunities as others his age. Since then he's become a constant fixture at Captain D's.
"It has given him a purpose to socialize, a routine and normalization every day," said NewsChannel5 Meteorologist Heather Mathis. She is also Tony's niece. "It has been the best blessing for us to have him come here and allow him to be here for so long."
Tony has been greeting customers nearly every day for the last 3 decades so when the building caught fire, many were devastated.
"I don't think I understood the impact that Captain D's had in my life until my grandmother died," Mathis said, "Earlier this year when my grandmother passed, the funeral home was packed...packed with people that came just for Uncle Tony. For people who just eat at a restaurant regularly to take time out of their day to come to funeral for someone they know just from eating that's when it hit me how many people love and connect with my Uncle Tony."
Luckily no one was hurt in Monday's fire, but the building is a total loss. For now, Tony has been transferred to the Donelson location, where he can continue spreading joy to others.
Captain D's corporate tells us they are working to transfer all their employees to other nearby locations as well.
The cause of the fire was not yet known. There were people inside when the blaze broke out.
At one point, thick smoke could be seen billowing from the building. Fire crews said the restaurant was a total loss.
Dozens of firefighters responded to the scene. Six engines, three trucks and one rescue, one Medic Unit and one air truck.
