OLALLA, Wash. — “I keep telling everybody, all I want for Christmas is to open these doors and have our people come inside," said Gregg Olsen, Olalla Bay Market owner. "That's what I want. I believe it's possible.”
Along with his family, this is Olsen's new goal for the historic market location that has been a part of the Kitsap Peninsula since 1884.
A mid-August fire destroyed more than a year's worth of renovations.
Gutting fire damage, replacing equipment, and working on electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems have all been a part of the second take on renovations along Crescent Valley Road in Olalla.
The Olsens told KING 5 the fire racked up costs of about $250,000.
Looking at the charred outline of the market's kitchen area could have dashed the dream but the fire only fueled the Olsen family's passion for the project.
“It is overwhelming," Olsen said. "The outpouring of support. I mean I cried on your show and many people come here and cry too.”
Even before the early morning fire on Aug. 16 Olsen said the community was personally invested.
The morning of the fire was emotional for the family and the community as a whole.
“It's easy to drive by a fire scene and just kind of gawk or whatever," Olsen said. "It's a whole different thing to stop and say, 'What can I do?' And we get that all the time.”
The market's kitchen was a total loss in the fire, but the pizza oven from Italy - a large piece of equipment - was left unscathed. Olsen said the market's menu will include pizza made in that oven but many other dishes will be made in the oven as well.
Different cleaning supplies and blowers have been helping clear out the smoke smell and char marks.
Salvaging special pieces of the renovation has given the Olsens hope along the way. An old canoe and barn wood used throughout the market were recently soda blasted to erase signs or the fire.
"The barn wood - it really means a lot to me and it means a lot to our community," Olsen said. "The barn was built about 120 years ago down there by our ballfield and collapsed maybe 10 or five years ago. This is old-growth wood from Olalla. Milled right here in Olalla back in its heyday. The family came to us and said you know we would like you to have it."
Keeping pieces of Olalla's history is important to Olsen and his neighbors. It's part of why they want people to visit the area and find out why it means so much to them.
"This is a hidden gem," Olsen said. "People are super proud of it. If you do come, I think you get it."
Pride runs deep in Olalla and throughout Kitsap County.
David Lynam, the fire marshal for the county, recently sent fire material samples from the market to the lab for testing. While Lynam awaits results for what is shaping up to be an accidental fire, he is also waiting to see what happens at Olalla's long-time popular location.
"I am from the south Kitsap area myself," Lynam said. "It was always a place to go. A place to stop. I know the community was looking forward to having it back in operation again.”
Olsen and his family said covering costs for the nearly quarter million dollars in damage could be a challenge and have been relieved by their community's generosity.
Olalla Winery has raised more than $50,000 through a GoFundMe page and Olalla Food Center raised $5,000 through a cornhole tournament.
“It is overwhelming to get support from a community that believes in what you believe in," Olsen said.
According to the family, once all is said and done with renovations, repairs, underground improvements and the original purchase of the property - the total investment will stand at about $2 million. However, family members told KING 5 the investment in the market is priceless.
In a recent video posted to the Olalla Bay Market's Facebook page, Olsen explained how the market did have an insurance policy but it was temporary and it ran out just before the fire happened. The policy was temporary because the market was not yet in operation. The particular policy could not be renewed, according to Olsen.
With his sights set on a Christmastime reopening, Olsen said it would be great for Olalla Bay Market to be part of a longtime tradition where Santa makes several stops throughout the community.