Just over two months after an accident destroyed much of Baci Cafe & Wine Bar in Healdsburg, more than 100 people waited eagerly outside for its July 29 reopening and open house. By the end of the day, nearly 500 had come through, raising a glass to what owner Lisbeth Holmefjord has lightly called a “refresh” — one that involved more than half a million dollars in repairs.
With all-new furniture, flooring and paint, along with a new front entrance and other upgrades, Holmefjord and her husband, chef Shari Sarabi, have given the 16-year-old restaurant considerably more than a facelift. But for all the newness, Baci still looks and feels like Baci, with its familiar colors, style and charm. And it came together far faster than anyone expected.
After the Memorial Day weekend crash that sent an SUV more than 40 feet into the restaurant, the couple posted on social media that Baci would be closed until further notice. They expected repairs might take months.
The rebuilding also triggered required accessibility upgrades under current building codes, including changes to the entrance, bathrooms and back-of-house areas, adding another layer to the challenge of reopening.
Work began almost immediately, with local architects, contractors and city officials helping the longtime Healdsburg favorite get back to normal.
“It really was a community effort to get us back up and open,” Holmefjord said. “I’m so grateful for what they did and how fast it got done.”
Holmefjord has just one tiny problem: The place looks so good, and the new chairs are so comfortable, people might not want to leave.
Not a bad problem to have.
The “incident”
When Holmefjord received an early-morning call from local police about a “small incident” at the restaurant on Saturday, May 23, she wasn’t particularly worried. She and Sarabi figured they would stop by after the farmers market to investigate what sounded like a burglar alarm or a broken window.
What they found was an SUV lodged inside the restaurant.
The vehicle had taken out the front doors and windows, shredded the flooring and turned much of the dining room furniture into kindling.
“The fire chief didn’t want you to have a heart attack,” Holmefjord said of the understated warning from first responders.
Fortunately, no one was inside the restaurant at the time, and no one was injured. Police said alcohol was not a factor, and the driver was not arrested. The saving grace was that the SUV came through the restaurant’s doors and windows without striking the building’s structural supports.
“When an accident happens, it was the best outcome it could be,” Holmefjord said. “If he had hit the building, it was going to be much longer.”
The timing was particularly stressful. The collision happened over Memorial Day weekend, just as Healdsburg was heading into one of its busiest stretches of the year, with graduations, Father’s Day, weddings and large summer gatherings.
It was a blow, but Holmefjord’s first priority was keeping Baci’s 22 employees afloat during the closure.
A GoFundMe campaign organized after the crash raised about $95,000, she said, allowing the restaurant’s staff — including tipped employees — to continue receiving pay while Baci was closed.
“This way, no one got behind on their mortgage or bills,” Holmefjord said. “And they’re all happy to be back.”
For a restaurant without a dining room, the outpouring of generosity from longtime diners was touching.
Silver linings
If there’s an upside to having an SUV parked inside your restaurant, Holmefjord has found it.
“The silver lining is that the locals realized how much they missed us,” she said. “And no one was hurt.”
For Holmefjord, the past few months have reinforced how much Baci has become a local anchor in a town awash with upscale restaurants. Some customers have already returned two or three times since the reopening.
“We may not recoup everything, but we’re still gonna be here for a long time. We’re not going anywhere.”
She noted that reservations, especially in light of the reopening, are a good idea.
Baci is at 336 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707-433-8111, bacicafeandwinebar.com
