Dixie moon cafe opens after explosion

This story is a follow-up to the original story that was published in the daily newspaper the day after it occurred. This update was written for online and the weekly.


The Dixie Moon Cafe on Dean Street and Old 41 was left with synged walls and in need of a paint job.


Chase Walker, Dixie Moon Cafe manager, stands in the kitchen of the restaurant that was the scene of a propane explosion that left one man injured.

The Dixie Moon Cafe reopened June 23 following a propane explosion that left one man injured and the store forced to put up a “Sorry we’re closed” sign.

Thankfully though, the “We’re open” sign is back up and so is the business that has been owned by Tim Robinson for 10 years.

The accident left the shop closed for 2 1/2 days.

“It’s really just repairs,” Robinson said after having to replace some plumbing, gas lines and paint to cover up the singed walls caused by the blast.

And he was lucky, he said, about the blast and fire that could have killed patrons, a waitress and a member of this kitchen staff.

“There was just heat from the fire but no real damage,” said Chase Walker, 22, the restaurant’s manager.

His biggest concern following the accident was having to throw away up to 5 pounds of food because of a lack of power.

“It could have been worse had the truck exploded but we can’t express enough how fast (firefighters) got here ... controlled the fire,” Walker said.

The 80-year-old historic building would have been closed for good, said Robinson, who was told by officials that had the fire burned another 30 seconds “there would be nothing left,” he said.

“We escaped by a hair,” said Robinson’s wife Christine.

“It identifies how strong you are as a business owner,” she said, referring to a September incident in which a waitress accidentally crashed her car through the front of the building.

Since then the restaurant has also had two break-ins.

“It’s been an emotional wringer,” Tim Robinson said.

But he has confidence that the building will continue to survive despite its string of bad luck.

“It made it through (hurricane) Charley, Wilma and it had power. There is an integrity with this building,” he said. “... this old building just takes a lickin’ and keeps on ticking.”