By Jacob Wheeler The Benzie hamlet on the shores of Crystal Lake epitomizes the Hebrew blessing: \u201cL\u2019chayim, to life!\u201d For in this town, it takes more than a blaze to wipe out a popular business.<\/p>\n Jonathan Clark\u2019s L\u2019Chayim Delicatessen<\/a> suffered a devastating kitchen fire on August 29, 2015<\/a>, that put Benzie County\u2019s bagel consumption on hold until this spring. Employee Denise\u2014who comes in at 3:30 a.m. on baking days\u2014discovered the fire before it spread. No on was hurt, no other structure was damaged, and blessings were counted. But what a setback.<\/p>\n \u201cIt really sucked,\u201d Clark says. \u201cBeing out of work for eight months was a terrible experience. I learned that I\u2019m not ready for retirement.\u201d<\/p>\n Still, he had nothing but good things to say about L\u2019Chayim\u2019s employees, the insurance adjusters, and the community, in particular. Within days of the accident, 500 locals threw an impromptu fundraiser for the deli at the old Central State Bank building, now a gallery owned by Karen Roberts and Mike Madden.<\/p>\n On top of that, Gretchen Boekeloo let the L\u2019Chayim team use the kitchen at The Roadhouse Mexican Bar & Grille<\/a> in Benzonia to prepare for a catering event that had been pre-scheduled for the same day as the fire.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was crazy cool,\u201d Clark says. \u201cLiving in a small town, there\u2019s nothing like it. But we\u2019re glad to have the experience behind us.\u201d<\/p>\n From the black-and-white checkerboard tiles on the floor to the works of local artists that hang on the red wall across from the wrap-around glass-front counter, not much has changed inside the deli. Starting from scratch after a fire means that Clark could have potentially changed a lot of things, things that maybe had bugged him for years.<\/p>\n \u201cWe thought about efficiency and what we could move here or there to make the space work better,\u201d Clark explains. \u201cBut we decided that we actually really liked the way that everything was set up, and it couldn\u2019t get much better than how we\u2019d had it to begin with.\u201d<\/p>\n L\u2019Chayim\u2019s Beulah location reopened on May 4, followed by the Frankfort spot on May 16. Clark says that everyone has told him, \u2018We\u2019re happy you\u2019re back. We missed you!\u2019 <\/p>\n And sales are up 20 to 25 percent over this season in previous years\u2014be that due to the hunger for bagels or the desire to continue supporting a friend in need.<\/p>\n This month, find the works of artist\/realtor Julie Bowman Williams on The Wall at the Beulah L\u2019Chayim. To read \u201cBenzie ABCs: Art, Bagels, and Community,\u201d a story that we ran last fall on the fire and the subsequent fundraiser, check out our website at http:\/\/bit.ly\/1YbBdHl<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n
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