A fire early Thursday morning has temporarily shut down the South Side Soda Shop in Goshen, just hours before the restaurant was set to appear on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: Triple D Nation.
The fire, which broke out in an upstairs apartment, was quickly contained by the Goshen Fire Department, preventing any damage to the restaurant itself. The restaurant confirmed there was no harm to the building, but the restaurant will remain closed until repairs are completed.
A sign posted on the restaurant’s door reads: "Early in the morning of 3/27 one of the upstairs apartments caught fire. The restaurant is ok and will reopen in the near future. Follow our Facebook page for updates."
In a message shared on Instagram, the restaurant thanked the Goshen Fire Department for their swift response and expressed relief that no one was hurt. "We are devastated by the timing of this event as we have been gearing up for our Food Network premiere," he wrote. "Luckily, everyone is safe, and we’ll be back to celebrate with you in the future."
This appearance on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives would have been the second time the restaurant was featured on the show. South Side Soda Shop first appeared in an episode in 2007, which helped solidify its place as a Goshen favorite.
Nicole Boyd-Lehman, daughter of owners Nick and Charity Boyd, shared mixed emotions over the situation. "We are very excited about tomorrow night," she said, referring to the show’s premiere, "but we are also coping with the fire."
Boyd-Lehman also provided an update on the restaurant's reopening timeline. "We don’t have an exact date yet, but we’re hopeful that we’ll be able to reopen within the next month," she said, adding that the damage was primarily from smoke and water, with minimal impact on the restaurant.
Despite the setback, Boyd-Lehman expressed gratitude for the outpouring of community support. "We’re extremely grateful for the Goshen Fire Department and their amazing work," she said. "We’ve heard from wonderful customers, from the entire community. We are feeling a lot of love and support."
