BY JACOB GUNNER

With sizzling fajitas and delicious bean dip, El Trio has become a neighborhood favorite restaurant.

But for the past month the locally-owned eatery has been closed due to a fire. On February 26th, there was a severe fire that burned most of the kitchen and severely burned owner Luis Hernandez Sr.

The burns were enough to hospitalize Hernandez Sr. for two weeks while the restaurant remained closed.

Members of the community banded together to create a “Youcaring” page to help fund the recovery of the restaurant and Mr. Hernandez. Within the first day of its creation, the page was able to raise $15,000 of its $30,000 goal.

With funds available, El Trio was able to start rebuilding.  

“We had to pretty much replace the whole kitchen,” says Luis Hernandez, the owner’s son and a Mariemont sophomore.

But on April 7th, the restaurant was ready to be reopened.

“Business has been great so far, the first weekend was very crowded,” says Hernandez. El Trio was flooded with members of the community coming to support the beloved neighborhood restaurant.

“I’m so happy that it’s back, I missed their salsa,” says sophomore Kyle Mason, who was there on their reopening opening night.

All different kinds of people came in to show their love. Recently the Mariemont lacrosse team made a trip to eat and help spark more business. “I really appreciate my team’s support,” says Hernandez.

Whether you like the environment of the Mariemont community or not, this is a prime example of the community working together as a whole to help out their fellow members in need.