NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nash Dogs owner Michael Spencer is vowing to rebuild his Old Hickory café after a fire tore through the business over the weekend — and after thieves attempted to break in days later.
Spencer said he learned about the fire from missed calls and a message from someone who spotted the flames.
"I woke up to a bunch of missed calls, and somebody's like, I think your building is on fire."
He pulled up a video on his phone and saw smoke pouring from the building before driving to the scene himself.
"I pull up a video on my phone, and there's smoke pouring out of the building. I hopped in the truck, drove down, and sure enough, it was kind of your worst fears."
Spencer built Nash Dogs from the ground up in his garage during COVID, launching first as a food truck before opening the Old Hickory café in 2020. For him, the business represented years of work and a personal reinvention.
"For me, it was really just kind of, I mean, this is my dream that I've worked on for six years."
Smoke and water damaged much of the café's interior. But Spencer said his first concern after the fire was not the building — it was the people who depend on it.
"This location supports more than just me, and it puts a lot of people in a position to take care of their families, and my mind immediately went to, how am I gonna support the people that rely on this place?"
Nashville Fire Department crews stopped the flames before the building was destroyed, something Spencer said he is grateful for.
"I'm just really grateful for the Nashville Fire Department I will say that for sure because I think that this place could be completely gone."
As the rebuilding process began, Spencer faced another setback. On Tuesday morning, thieves attempted to break in.
"They removed the AC unit from the side of the building there. I think it might have been a little too heavy for them to carry off, and they tried to pry the plywood off the front door there and also tried to access our food truck."
Spencer said the attempted break-in was a jarring contrast to the outpouring of support he had received from the community.
"I think with all of the support that I've received from the community, it was kind of shocking to come today and see that someone had done the opposite of that."
Despite the fire, the damage, and the break-in attempt, Spencer said Nash Dogs is not shutting down.
"One bad night isn't gonna dictate the rest of our lives. So we're gonna stay after it and stay committed."
The food truck, catering business, and other locations remain open. A GoFundMe has been launched to help rebuild the café while Spencer waits on insurance.
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