One year after a fire ripped through the building, repairs continue at the Harlingen location of Stefano's Brooklyn Pizza.

Construction progress is clearly visible at the location, and customers are eager to return to the place where memories were made — and new memories are waiting to be made.

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"I'm expecting it to be very packed,” Harlingen resident Abel Sandoval said. "[I'm waiting] to be able to take my family again, my son personally, to go out there, so we can all enjoy ourselves."

Staff have been working at another location since February.

For owner Steve Eddik, support from the community gave him hope.

"It's been hard,” Eddik said. “What's been keeping me going, keeping me alive, is my wife and kids and my friends and my neighbors, and the support I get from people."

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The cause of the December 2021 fire was ruled as “undetermined” by Harlingen fire investigators.

For Eddick, questions remain concerning the fire.

“All that hard work I brought, 23 years building myself, my building, my business — and in one morning it's gone,” Eddick said. “Basically, I've been waking up every morning to go to the construction site… It’s going to be a lot nicer than the way it was." 

The new space will fit 200 customers, and have new items on the menu.

Eddick says he hopes to have the Harlingen location open again in the new year.