ALPINE, Calif. (KGTV) — Absolute heartbreak for the owner of a longtime Alpine restaurant after a fire forced it to close its doors — leaving ripple effects across the entire shopping center.
Panda Machi, a staple in the Alpine community for the past 17 years, remains closed after a fire broke out inside the restaurant late Tuesday night. Investigators are still working to determine what caused the fire, and there is no clear timeline for when the restaurant may be able to reopen.
Owner Trinity Nguyen says the emotional toll has been overwhelming — not just for her, but for the customers who consider Panda Machi a second home.
“These past couple of days have been super hard,” Nguyen said. “I’m really trying to absorb everything.”
Nguyen says longtime customers have stopped by the boarded-up restaurant, many in tears.
“One of the veterans showed up crying,” she said. “He told me, ‘What am I going to eat now?’ It breaks my heart seeing my own customers — my own people — cry.”
The closure has extended beyond Panda Machi. Due to damage to a gas line in the shopping center, several neighboring businesses have also been forced to temporarily shut down.
“We don’t have gas because there’s damage on the gas lines that they have to rebuild,” said Cinthya Cousins, owner of Michocana Alpine and Off the 8 Cafe. “We don’t know how long it’s going to take.”
While Michocana Alpine has been able to stay open, Cousins says Off the 8 Cafe remains closed for now. She’s doing what she can to support her employees, shifting some to her other location to help cover lost hours.
“It’s really hard,” Cousins said. “I’m trying to bring some of my employees from there to work here so I can cover their hours.”
Cousins, who is close friends with Nguyen, says the loss has hit the community deeply — but the response has also been uplifting.
“A lot of people were asking how they can help — not just us, but Trinity too,” Cousins said. “The community up here is really, really good.”
That support has poured in from customers and fellow business owners alike, reminding Nguyen she’s not facing this setback alone.
“I’m overwhelmed with everything that’s going on,” Nguyen said, “but also overwhelmed with all the love the community has given us.”
As crews assess the damage and determine what rebuilding will require, Nguyen says the uncertainty is daunting. She’s been told the process could take anywhere from a year to two years.
“I just can’t fathom that,” she said. “The sooner we can get back up and running, the better.”
For now, the Panda Machi family — and its loyal customers — are holding onto hope that this Alpine favorite will one day reopen its doors once again.
