Lake Chabot Public Market Lost to Fire
The Lake Chabot Public Market sits silently this morning after a fire destroyed the building and the six businesses inside last Thursday.
The blackened brick walls and busted-out windows show the horror of the collapsed roof that only last week housed C&H Meat, Mama Cho’s BBQ, Milk & Cookie Bar, Poke Go, T4, and Shumi Ramen. The property is now surrounded by green privacy fencing while the owners decide its next steps.
In a statement on Mama Cho’s website, the Cho family said the business would be closed indefinitely due to the fire.
“Thank you for your support and for being a part of our journey. We look forward to serving you in the future,” the post noted.
Alameda County Fire Department investigators have not determined the cause of the three-alarm fire that broke out at 2:33 am, but C&H Meats and Mama Cho's representative Hans Cho told reporters that he was told the fire started near the north side of the building that housed the meat counter and Mama Cho's lunch counter.
The aggressive fire caused a roof collapse around 3:25 a.m. More than 50 firefighters put out the blaze and stayed on site until all the hotspots were extinguished. No injuries were reported.
Neighbor Robert Atkinson woke up to the sound of the fire engines and initially thought the noise came from a generator on his property.
“When I woke up fully and then I saw the light coming from the bathroom window,” Atkinson told the Times. “Then I saw all the fire trucks and the pumper trucks trying to douse the fire from the rooftop. The smoke was pretty thick and was all around even by the time I left for work at 5:30.”
Initially, Chabot Elementary School officials were going to keep students inside because of the smoke but eventually canceled classes that day for safety precautions.
Meanwhile, the community has begun rallying around the Cho family and their associates at the Public Market.
In a statement, the Castro Valley Marketplace members said they were deeply saddened by the devastating fire and its impact on those businesses and the community.
“We stand with you in solidarity and are committed to supporting the recovery and rebuilding efforts in any way we can,” the Marketplace post said. “Hans Cho has been a vocal advocate and supporter of our marketplace from day one, and we are immensely grateful for his and his family's efforts in fostering a thriving business community.”
Lake Chabot Public Market has been a gathering point since its soft opening on September 30, 2015. Its central community seating allowed customers to relax, enjoy the atmosphere, and try many types of Asian cuisine.
Beginning with the C&H Meats counter, the Public Market saw the opening of Mama Cho's BBQ, Milk & Cookie Bar, Shumi Ramen, and T4 Boba later that winter. Poke Go replaced Pokeatery in 2023, and Devout Coffee set up shop in a trailer outside the Public Market from March 2021 until it moved out earlier this year.