Loudon, New Hampshire Restaurant Fire Destroys Beloved Community Gathering Spot

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the New Hampshire community, it’s that when one of us is going through a tough time, we show up for each other.

That’s exactly what’s happening in Loudon after a devastating three-alarm fire destroyed Beanie’s Bar & Grill in the early morning hours of August 17th.

The Georgopouloses own Beanie's and opened the restaurant in 2022.

"A lot of blood, sweat, and tears, time put in this place, building it up," Nasi Georgopoulos told WMUR. "It's kind of become like an unofficial town hall."

Beanie’s has been much more than a place to grab a meal or a drink. In just a few years, it became a gathering place for people in the community, with regulars who knew the staff by name and families who made the restaurant part of their routines. The Concord Monitor reported that people would even meet at Beanie’s to carpool to local sporting events.

One local wrote on social media, "When my son in law sent out the message about the fire I was sad to hear the news as a long time patron of yours from Loudon Rd. Don and I enjoyed George's pizza, chicken parmesan and I loved the fried scallops."

Chicken Parm from Beanie's Bar & Grill via Facebook

While another said, "Let the community know what we can all do to help!"

For the people who worked there, the loss is even more personal. Overnight, employees were suddenly without their workplace and their regular income while the owners navigate insurance and figure out what comes next.

Now, a fundraiser has been started specifically to support those employees with immediate everyday expenses like rent, groceries, utilities and gas.

The goal isn't to replace everything that was lost. It's simply to help take some of the pressure off the people who spent their days taking care of Beanie’s customers.

And there is already a little hope on the horizon. Despite the devastation, the family behind Beanie’s has said they are making plans to rebuild.

The Beanie’s family is asking the community to stand behind the people who made it what it was. And this Sunday August 30th, they are holding a community benefit from 4–10 PM at 409 Loudon Ridge Road here in Loudon, NH for their employees.

Beanie's posted to social media, "We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has reached out, donated, shared our posts, offered to help, or simply sent words of encouragement. The support shown to the Beanie’s family and our employees has meant more than we can say."