Small fire at Village Inn and Baker Square Pies and Bakery on Northwest Highway in Palatine. YouTube Tips ⓘ
Police, firefighters, and paramedics from Palatine responded about 2:51 p.m. Monday, July 22, 2024 to a report of smoke in the building at 270 East Northwest Highway in Palatine. The first Palatine Fire Department unit arrived on the scene three minutes later, and reported nothing showing from the exterior of the building.
Patrons in the restaurant were evacuated calmly, and many didn’t even realize there was a fire until they saw the firefighters arriving outside.
The initial fire crews entered the building and searched for the fire and any other occupants. The fire was located in an outside wall of the restaurant building, and had extended into the area above the ceiling. The fire was quickly extinguished by fire department personnel. The fire sprinkler system inside the building did activate in the area where the fire was located near the kitchen. The sprinkler system was credited with assisting in controlling the fire above the ceiling, according to Palatine Fire Department.
The fire was declared under control at 3:25 p.m.
No firefighters were injured during firefighting operations and overhaul. The fire was contained to the northeast corner of the business with minor to moderate smoke damage to the rest of the building.
Damage estimates were not initially available, and the fire remains under investigation by the Palatine Fire Department.
The fire was fought by 30 firefighters, staffing five engines, two ladder trucks, four ambulances, and one squad which responded to the scene along with five command officers. Firefighters from the Rolling Meadows and Arlington Heights Fire Departments assisted at the scene.
During the incident, a paramedic ambulance crew from the Arlington Heights Fire Department also stood by at Palatine Fire Station 82 to provide coverage for any additional calls.
Palatine Police officers assisted at the scene with traffic and crowd control.
The Palatine Fire Department reminds everyone to have working smoke detectors in their homes and businesses.
— Palatine Fire Department
The restaurant closed when a fire sprinkler broke in January 2024, and remained closed while remodeling was underway until May 2024. The restaurant has only been open since late May or June 2024. A man in the parking lot, who enjoys the restaurant, said he felt bad for the management, having to experience a second closure, so soon after re-modeling.
Also, Linda Trost, who was celebrating a friend’s birthday when the fire occurred, said she didn’t notice any smoke. The evacuation was a not a panicked experience, and she didn’t realize there was a fire until she was outside and firefighters were arriving.
Village Inn is a casual-dining restaurant chain owned by BBQ Holdings with corporate and franchise restaurants located primarily in the Rocky Mountain region, the Midwest, Arizona, and Florida in the United States. There are three Village Inn locations in Illinois — two in Moline, and one in Palatine.
BBQ Holdings successfully acquired Village Inn and Bakers Square for $13.5 million in August 2021.
On the Bakers square official website, the Palatine location is noted as now existing as a Village Inn, while an outdoor sign at the Village Inn includes the name for both Village Inn and Bakers Square.
On the Village Inn website, the Palatine location is listed, but there is no mention of Bakers Square.
A Google search for Baker’s Square Palatine resolves to a listing “Village Inn (+ Bakers Square Pie).”
A Bakers Square pie shop exists in the Village Inn.
There are four Bakers Square locations in Illinois, including the Village Inn location in Palatine.
Bakers Square locations are list in …
Chicago, Foster & Harlem: 5220 No. Harlem Ave., Chicago;
Orland Park (Pie Only – Bakers Square Pies at Famous Dave’s), 15657 South Harlem Avenue, Orland Park;
Palatine (Now Village Inn): 270 E. Northwest Highway, Palatine; and
Woodridge, 2020 W. 75th, Woodridge
In other states there are several Bakers Square pie shops in Famous Dave’s location.
BBQ Holdings, a multi-brand restaurant company including Bakers Square and Village Inn, is also the parent company of Famous Dave’s, Granite City Food & Brewery, Real Urban BBQ, Tahoe Joe’s Famous Steakhouse, Barrio Queen, Champps Kitchen & Bar, Sauce Pizza & Wine, and the Counter Custom Burgers.
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The information in this article is an early report published before any summary information was confirmed or released by police or fire authorities.
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