By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI
Whether or not Avon’s Schneider’s Restaurant, which was the site of an extensive fire last week, will reopen will not be decided for at least a few more weeks, according to owner John Schneider.
Schneider, who owns the restaurant with his mother Theresa, said this week that insurance adjusters have been through the building which sustained damage to the roof and front section of the restaurant, several times.
He also said the insurance representatives have to determined what types of coverage he had.
“I’ve had the policy a long time, I never gave much thought to what coverages I have,” he said.
For now Schneider is receiving interim payments to pay the business’s bills.
“We’re not open, but we still have bills,” he said.
Schneider said after the insurance company, Guard Insurance which was recently purchased by Berkshire Hathaway, determines what compensation he is entitled to, he will make a decision about reopening.
“But I can tell you now it’s going to be six to eight months before we could reopen,” he said.
Schneider said most of his employees have been with him a decade or more and they have all told him they will come back to work if he reopens.
“They work year round, we’re like family. They told me they want to come back,” he said.
The fire was deemed to be accidental by both the Avon fire official and the Monmouth County Fire Marshall.
