One week after a fire destroyed Tom & Jerry’s Restaurant in Sycamore, the longtime local favorite is already moving toward reopening, announcing plans for a temporary location and a full rebuild at its original site.

In a social media post Saturday evening, the restaurant said it secured a temporary location at 265 W. Peace Road in Sycamore – the former Eggsclusive Cafe – with plans to reopen by early March. Work is underway to prepare the space so the restaurant can resume serving customers as quickly as possible.

At the same time, plans are moving forward to rebuild at the original DeKalb Avenue site. Once demolition begins, construction will follow immediately, according to the restaurant.

“During this incredibly difficult time for our entire team we have been overwhelmed by the amount of support from friends, family, patrons, fellow businesses, and our community as a whole,” the social media post from the restaurant said.

“We knew the only direction to go was forward, so through our grief and tears we immediately began making plans.”

The fire broke out early Saturday at the restaurant, 1670 DeKalb Ave., causing severe damage to the building, which officials later deemed unsafe and a total loss. No one associated with the restaurant was injured, according to General Manager Sarah Meyer, though one firefighter suffered a relatively minor injury during the response.

Despite the loss, the restaurant’s owners say an overwhelming outpouring of community support has helped guide their next steps.

Tom & Jerry’s has served the Sycamore community for more than 50 years, and the response to the fire has underscored its place in the city. Since news of the blaze broke, customers, neighboring businesses and residents have shared messages of encouragement and support.

“This is more than a restaurant to us,” Tom & Jerry’s General Manager Sarah Meyer said in the days following the fire. “This is our home that we welcome our community into.”

The restaurant said updates on reopening dates for both the temporary location and the rebuilt restaurant will be shared as plans progress.

“When life hands you lemons,” the restaurant wrote, “make tzatziki.”