Adele’s cafe, favorite with Nevada lawmakers, remains closed after fire

Sun, Apr 21, 2019 (2 a.m.)

Don’t expect a quick reopening of the Cafe at Adele’s after a fire severely damaged the landmark Carson City restaurant, a favorite of those involved with the Nevada Legislature.

“We’ve gotten a range from anywhere from two to six months” before reopening, said Karen Abowd, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Charlie Abowd.

“Until we know who we are going to be dealing with for the reconstruction aspect, it is hard for me to give anything definitive as of yet,” she told "Nevada Newsmakers."

The fire on March 28 did extensive damage to the back of the restaurant. There were no injuries and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

“The night before, we were just packed with legislators,” Karen Abowd said. “And then to get woken up at 5:15 in the morning to hear the restaurant is on fire was devastating.”

Charlie Abowd said repairs could be complicated because of the building’s age. It was built in 1864, the year Nevada became a state.

The Abowds have business-interruption insurance that will help their employees financially while repairs are made. They had put Adele’s up for sale in February 2018, and it will go back on the market after reopening, they said.

Adele’s biannual Pig Party, a fete for lobbyists at the Legislature, will go on as scheduled. It will be moved to the Union restaurant in Carson City.

“Everyone wants to reach out and help in any way shape or form,” Karen Abowd said. “Everyone is concerned about our employees, which I think is wonderful, and of course the question is, how soon are you going to reopen?”

Charlie Abowd said the fire at Adele’s has impacted people in different ways.

“I just got a phone call yesterday from a couple up in Bishop (Calif.), and its their 24th anniversary and they’ve always come to the restaurant and in fact, he proposed to his wife at the restaurant,” he said. “There are a lot of events like that.”

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