BERNARDSTON — Citing an insurmountable financial hurdle, Falltown Grill owners Alex and Amy Fiorey have decided not to rebuild their eatery, which was previously home to the Four Leaf Clover Restaurant for 71 years.

“It’s devastating,” Amy Fiorey said. “It’s kind of like losing it twice,” referring to the June 29, 2022 fire that destroyed the new restaurant three weeks after it had opened, and the subsequent realization that she and her husband wouldn’t be able to reconstruct the building.

After the couple’s plans to open a food truck fell through, they hoped to build anew. The building was decimated by the blaze and demolished in November 2022. As of January, they were putting the final touches on the floor plan, with Alex Fiorey noting the new restaurant would have the same concept as the old one, with a dining room and bar.

These plans changed, though, on Feb. 8.

“The more we’ve dreamed and designed, the more we’ve realized that dream could never be a reality,” the Fioreys announced on Facebook. “Building costs, equipment costs and an uncertain future are too much.”

In an interview, the Fioreys explained their insurance money, through Utica First Insurance Co., covered the mortgage and debt they had already incurred, but not cover the cost to reconstruct the building. To rebuild, they’d need to take out a $1.5 million loan — a move they felt didn’t make sense, with both of them being 45 years old. Furthermore, just hours before taking to Facebook to announce the Falltown Grill wouldn’t be reopening, the Fioreys received a call stating that their bank would not finance their plans.

“We learned two important things,” Amy Fiorey said in the aftermath of the blaze, which was caused by the spontaneous combustion of kitchen towels. “Always be aware of where your towels are and take out more insurance than you think you might need.”

The Fioreys noted in their post that they hope someone “with as much passion (and a lot more money)” will continue their dream of rebuilding the restaurant. They said the 19 South St. (Route 5) property is a great spot for a restaurant, and they would be happy to share their plans with anyone who wants to rebuild it.

“It would be great if someone would come in and open up a place,” Alex Fiorey said.

The Fioreys will accept Falltown Grill gift certificates at their other business, Pioneer Valley Tire, and are offering refunds to those who donated toward the rebuild, upon request. They will take the rest of the donations from people who do not ask for the money back and donate it to various foundations in Bernardston. They raised about $12,000 after the fire.

The Fioreys did not keep in touch will all of the restaurant’s 22 part-time and full-time workers, but said that some Falltown Grill staff members were waiting to go back to work when the rebuild was complete.

“We had to break the news to them,” Alex Fiorey said.

Without Falltown Grill, the Fioreys plan to focus their attention on expanding Pioneer Valley Tire, located across the street from the restaurant property, to offer full automotive services. The couple sold their two other businesses, The Laundry and The Solar Express Tanning Salon, both on Federal Street in Greenfield, to further invest in their restaurant dream.

“A year ago, as we were pouring ourselves into renovations,” the Fioreys’ Facebook post reads, “we would have never thought that selling two of our other businesses, refinancing our home, maxing out our credit cards and taking equipment loans, on top of a new business mortgage, would be for nothing.”

Bella Levavi can be reached at blevavi@recorder.com or 413-930-4579.

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