Rosies in Racine continues to rebuild one year after fire

After a New Year's Day fire in 2018, Rosies in Racine had to close.

In May 2018 the family owned restaurant pledged to reopen, but not everything has gone according to plan.

A cinder block frame, a vapor barrier and windows stand on the lot.

"We hit a wall with some of the stuff that was going on with the building," said Rosie Trevino.

The restaurant is named after her. Her father bought it and ran Rosies for 16 years before the fire sparked. They hoped to re-open Rosies last Fall, but that changed when a contractor they paid $80,000 didn't finish the job.

"We're still trying to close the building so we can keep working through this winter," said owner Alfonso Arroyo.

365 days after a fire burned down the original Rosies there's still no roof or doors. They installed windows 3-4 weeks ago. The family is working with volunteers to continue the rebuild one step at a time.

"We had some people step up and help us get to where we are today, which isn't where we'd hoped to have been a year later, but we're grateful for people who stepped up to help considering the hardships," said Trevino.

It's been a thorn in Rosies side, but the family hoped to get through the roadblock on their own. To their surprise, one of the volunteers started a GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/RebuildRosies

"It's really indescribable. There's no words. You can thank them as much as you can, but there really are just no words," said Trevino.

But the family isn't holding their breath. They promise to continue rising from the ashes.

"Thank you for the friends, the community waiting for us to reopen," said Trevino.

"I feel bad to say, 'I'm sorry. I can't. Right now my hands are tied,' but eventually it's going to be there again."