Around 2 a.m. on Saturday, September 19, Tonya Council's security system alerted her to a problem at her shop in the Galleria on South Elliott Road. When she got there, water was pouring out the back door. When she reached it, she saw smoke and called 911.

Firefighters later told her an electrical fire had burst a water pipe, and that water helped put the fire out before crews arrived. No one was hurt, but the fire, smoke, and water damage have closed the café and bake shop for the foreseeable future.

Tonya plans to rebuild. For now, she's focused on keeping her staff, honoring the catering and bakery orders already on the books, and exploring a pop-up or limited reopening at another location in the meantime. She told CBS 17 she's working to make sure her employees' lives "are still easier, even though mine is not."

If the name Council rings a bell, it should. Tonya is the granddaughter of the late Mildred "Mama Dip" Council, founder of Mama Dip's Kitchen. She opened her bake shop at the Galleria in December 2023 and the café next door in March 2025, with a menu of catfish po' boys, pimento cheese sliders, cornbread flights, and mini pies built as a tribute to her grandmother's cooking.

Lula & Sadie's closed its Durham dining room after its final Sunday brunch on September 20. Chef-owner Harry Monds, known around Durham as H2, pointed to rising costs and shrinking foot traffic, and the business plans to keep going through catering.

This weekend is their goodbye: a "Take a Little Piece of Us Home" closing sale, Saturday and today from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. And from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days, they're running a benefit food sale, with all food proceeds going to the employees of Tonya's Café & Bake Shop.

It's personal for them. According to the restaurant, H2 was friends with Mama Dip and considered her a mentor.

A restaurant in the middle of saying goodbye to its own dining room is spending its last weekend feeding someone else's staff. Yes, it's a drive to Durham. This one is worth it.

Today, Sept. 27 | Benefit take-out 11 a.m.–2 p.m. | Closing sale 8 a.m.–2 p.m.

Lula & Sadie's, 2022 Chapel Hill Road, Durham (the historic Davis Baking Co. building in Lakewood) | 919-251-9916 | lulaandsadies.com

Organized by Spring Council on Tonya's behalf, the Tonya's Bakery & Cafe Staff Relief Fund replaces paychecks so her crew can cover rent and groceries while the shop is closed, and be ready the day the doors reopen. Every dollar goes to the staff.

At the time of writing this article, the total was at $33,111 from 220 donations toward a $50,000 goal.

Want to know when Tonya's pops up or reopens? Sign up for updates at tonyascafe.com.

This one couldn't wait until Thursday, because our neighbors need us today. We had to make sure you knew about the benefit lunch that's part of Lula & Sadie's swan song. This is one of the most beautiful displays of community I've ever seen.

We'll be back on our regular Thursday schedule.

If you hear of other ways to support Tonya's crew, hit reply and tell me.