WEBSTER, N.Y. – It’s been nearly two weeks since a fire broke out at The Coach Sports Bar in Webster, destroying the business and leaving at least 10 people out of work.

Owner Fritz Sierk said it may take up to a year until the bar is up and running again. He’s heartbroken to lose a business which he’s put over 30 years of work into. However, he’s thankful for the Webster community’s support in the wake of the fire.

“It’s more than huge. I mean, you understand that The Coach is part of the village and part of the town and it’s been here long enough,” Fritz said. “So it means something, but it really does show up when everybody reaches out. You know, we have a fundraiser this Sunday, at Terrace Ridge, and there’s one in the village June 1. We’ve already had some donations given away and stuff or given to us. It really is amazing how much it pulls together.”

Sierk is working to move forward and repair while also making sure his employees and himself are still able to feed their families.

“I looked on the cameras as soon as that happened, and they were already off, so we knew we were in trouble,” Sierk said.

Sierk has worked at the bar for over 35 years and has owned it for over 25 years. Now, the once popular bar is a husk after a fire the day after St. Patrick’s Day, leaving Sierk and his employees without work for at least six months.

“We have nine employees on the books and they’re all out of work,” Sierk said. “Their insurance. There was no payroll for insurance. And so they and me are now unemployed.”

News10NBC’s Tom Kowalski: “At least six months without a job, what are you going to do?”

Fritz Sierk: “Not work here. I don’t know. I have no idea. Hopefully, I keep my house clean and I’ve got a little woodshop and support my employees a lot. You know, we just met today, and we’re meeting pretty much every Wednesday in a different bar to keep a hold of each other and stuff. And we’re used to seeing each other. But I don’t know what I do for the next year.”

Sierk says they’ve received an outpouring of support from the community – both emotionally and monetarily. He says since the bar was covered by insurance, but his employees’ wages weren’t, he plans to give his workers any donations he receives.

“If you think about it, you think about how that money is best used, and if it’s thousands of dollars, it will help an employee a ton,” Sierk said. “$1,000 on the job like this is wonderful, and it’s great that we have it, but it can be more used for the employee. And that’s why I said any fundraisers are going towards the employees.”

Sierk says it could take up to a year until The Coach Sports Bar is fully repaired. At this time, it’s unclear how the fire started.

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