Deja Vu Cafe to rebuild after fire

Deja Vu Cafe plans to rebuild after a fire burnt the interior of the nearly 40-year-old restaurant in Isla Vista, according to owner and founder John Djamali.

On the morning of Aug. 18, a fire broke out in the cafe after an “electrical issue” sparked a fire which ignited a wall, Djamali said in an interview with the Daily Nexus. While the cost of repairs and a reopening timeline is not yet known, he said that the damage was mainly from smoke and not “major.”

“We are trying our best to see if we can put it back together and rebuild everything as quick as possible,” Djamali said.

His insurance’s inspector will visit the cafe on Aug. 23 and he plans to schedule a county inspection next week.

Djamali opened the cafe in 1989 and said he has witnessed generations of students and community members come through over the years. He currently runs the cafe with his wife Farrah and said “it is part of the history of Isla Vista and UCSB.”

“When we reopen our doors, we ask you, from the bottom of our hearts, to stand with us once again. Please come back and support us — not just to help a local business, but to preserve a place that has been part of the Isla Vista and UCSB community for nearly four decades,” Djamali said in a statement to the Nexus.

The Daily Nexus will continue to report on this subject as more information becomes available.