Sandwich shop to reopen years after arson in downtown Visalia

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) — A popular sandwich restaurant that burned down in an arson attack is now set to reopen in Visalia.

The fire started in a dumpster before spreading to three businesses, including Jimmy John's on Main Street in May 2022.

“It was terrible, the whole building was a complete mess. Everything had ashes. Almost unrecognizable inside,” recalls Jessica Goad, director of operations at Jimmy John's.

The sandwich shop was destroyed, along with Decor to Adore and the popular local Mexican restaurant, Alejandra's.

Jessie Hager, 56, was arrested for starting the fire and convicted of arson months later.

Now that the legal process and cleanup is complete, Jimmy John's is preparing for another grand opening.

“We're delighted to see all our old and regular customers coming in. A lot of people have asked us when we're opening because it was quite a big part of people's lives at that time,” Goad said.

The sandwich shop is nestled in the heart of a bustling city center and conducts between 100 and 220 transactions per day.

The loss was felt throughout the community and caused nearly one hundred thousand dollars in damage, not including lost wages and benefits.

“It's been a struggle. It's taken almost two years to get back up and running, but we're very excited and ready to serve and be able to bring back whatever work we can do for the community,” Goad explained.

The site is now looking for around ten new employees before its opening on July 8.

Jimmy John's also hopes to partner with local nonprofits and schools to help with fundraising and team sponsorships, where 10-15% of their sales go directly to participating organizations.

The Downtown Visalians group shares that Alejandra Mexican Restaurant hopes to be open soon, perhaps in a few weeks.

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