Friday was the day many in Lexington had been waiting for, as North Main Street reopened months after a major fire destroyed two businesses in the heart of Uptown Lexington.
After the May fire, the past several months were filled with uncertainty, but on Friday a sense of normalcy returned, with traffic flowing and people walking the sidewalks again. Stephanie Huynh, owner of Shoto Japanese Steakhouse and Seafood, one of the two businesses destroyed in the fire and eventually demolished, said she was emotional driving on the road she used to take to work, parking near where she used to park, and feeling normal. She said the tragedy showed the strength and grounding of the community, not only to bring the businesses back but also to bring life back uptown.
Huynh said she is now preparing to open a temporary location in Lexington while rebuilding the restaurant on North Main Street.
Original Facebook source: Open post
Source note: Star News TV · Sep 8, 2026 1:35 AM.