Renovations at the oldest continuously running restaurant in New Jersey will go on as planned, despite a fire that occurred onsite earlier this week.

Black Horse Tavern & Pub in Mendham still expects to reopen this fall with a revamped kitchen, dining room, bar and outside space, according to its owners, Morristown-based 40North Restaurant Group.

Following the early morning fire Sept. 2, the West Main Street establishment is working to assess damages but will move ahead with planned updates. According to Kevin Felice, vice president of 40North, the fire broke out in the property’s tavern building. That structure is separate from the pub building where construction is currently underway.

When Mendham firefighters responded to Black Horse just before 4 a.m. Labor Day, they encountered a “heavy smoke condition,” officials said. After dispatching lines to the basement and first floor, fire crews quickly extinguished the blaze, officials said. However, they remained on scene for about two-and-a-half hours to put out any hot spots, the department said.

No injuries were reported as the building was unoccupied at the time, according to officials.

Felice said the fire “appears to be electrical” in nature and praised first responders for acting quickly.

A true landmark

“When we arrived, there was a lot of smoke, so it was a little concerning. There was a lot of fire departments there as well, so it was a little scary. Obviously, we had some concerns, with it being such an old building because damage tends to travel quicker. But, we were very lucky that the fire departments were on site very quickly and … seems like they got it out quickly,” said Felice.

“The extent of the damage is yet to be determined as we get the various skilled people in to evaluate it. But it seems they mitigated the direct impact of the fire itself well,” he added. “We’re very thankful for that.”

Felice went on to say, “From an emotional standpoint, that building means a lot to many people as well as us … so it was a scary thing for that attachment. The amount of people who reached out to us concerned because their mom got married there, they had their birthday there or they had their first date there – all these different things – shows it means so much to the town.”

When the restaurant closed for renovations in March, 40North said it expected to reopen sometime this fall. Along with a revamped interior design highlighting the town’s history, Black Horse also expects to unveil an expanded menu featuring guest favorites and innovative culinary creations.

Established in 1742, the tavern gave travelers a place to rest and grab a bite to eat. Meanwhile, the pub served as stables to feed horses.

Now more than 280 years later, Black Horse remains a local favorite. The family-friendly pub serves everything from burgers to fried chicken, as well as offers private event space in the former tavern.

Looking forward

Villa Restaurant Group’s 40North portfolio acquired the eatery about 15 years ago. Other brands owned by 40North include Piattino, The Office Tavern Grill, Town Bar + Kitchen and NOM Mexican Table + Tequila Bar.

Felice said, “Once we finish the pub’s renovations and it’s open, we’ll move on to the tavern. So, this fire itself has no impact on the opening of the pub because the buildings aren’t connected. They’re on the same property, but there’s no direct impact there. We do plan on still opening some time in the late fall with the pub … We’re getting to the final stages and hopefully finishing in the next month or two.”

Commenting on the revamp, he said, “We feel very that we’ve been able to uplift the pub to its next phase in life and that it’s still going to feel and have the charm that the pub’s always had. We think we’ve found that right balance of preserving its charm and integrity while bringing it to the modern ages of infrastructure, technology and kitchen equipment.”

“I think it’s going to feel like the pub at its core – but it’s going to feel new. And that’s the goal here. We didn’t want to be tone deaf and ignore the fact that everyone loves the place. We wanted to make sure it was preserved the right way for the longterm,” Felice explained.

He went on to say, “Honestly, I am looking forward to seeing people’s reactions and we’re looking forward to new memories. There’s so many memories in that restaurant for people … So, I think being able to start that again and being able to see different generations of families coming in again is exciting us. And creating those memories for people for years to come.”