Julie Feliciano | Staff writer | jfeliciano@mail.smcvt.edu
Burger Bar kitchen the night of the fire.
On June 30, the smells of burgers, salty fries, and the sounds of bustling conversations coming from Burger Bar were replaced with smoke. Burger Bar is located in Colchester, Vt., and the only restaurant within walking distance of St. Michael’s College campus.
The closure impacted the whole community, not just college students. “For locals, Burger Bar was a gathering place for friends and families, a casual spot where people could enjoy good food in a relaxed environment,” said frequent customer, Becca Hart, ’27.
Many students also looked forward to the weekly trivia night, held every Tuesday. “It was always fun to get off campus and enjoy food and play trivia,” said Catherine Corrigan, ‘26. “I thought this tradition would continue with my friends, we all miss it.”
Customers took to Burger Bar’s social media page, commenting about the local spot. One customer said, “Definitely missing the food and the staff! It was our regular weekly spot, so when we heard about the fire we were concerned and crushed.”
Cody Racine, the owner of Burger Bar, said, “the fire reportedly began in one of the coolers in the kitchen area. While the flames didn’t spread as much as expected, it was the thick smoke that caused the most damage to the kitchen.”
“We’re going to be out of business for about eight months before we start opening,” Racine said. He hopes Burger Bar will open in March of next year.
No one was inside the building when the fire started, and no injuries were reported.
“They came quick and saved the main structure of the building,” Racine said. “If the local fire department hadn’t saved the building of Burger Bar it could have gone out of business.”
In the meantime, many customers have contacted the restaurant with questions. “We’ve had some people reach out on when we are going to be open and about gift cards or we’ve had little coupon things that expire. We are going to honor all that stuff,” Racine said.
“The employees that did work at Burger Bar thankfully had two months of paid time that came from insurance and most of them found a new job at that time,” Racine said.
Meghan Savage, ’26, a St. Michael’s College student who’s been a regular customer for the past three years, shared how much the restaurant meant to her. “It’s special to me because that’s where Austin and I went on our first date,” Savage said.
Others miss Burger Bar for a more practical reason. “I used to order from there on DoorDash,” Hart said.
“Its absence is deeply felt, and many are looking forward to the day when it reopens its doors,” Hart said.
Burger Bar’s social media page posts updates for the community, as they work to rebuild.