An early Monday morning fire tore through historic downtown Newhall, gutting several businesses considered by residents to be the cultural and emotional heart of the Santa Clarita Valley. The blaze, which fire officials say is under investigation, began at an auto shop before rapidly spreading through a block of Main Street, destroying cherished local landmarks.
Carolyn Tucker, owner of the Care Tucker clothing boutique, received an alarm call from ADT around 3:30 a.m. Her husband initially went to the store, thinking it was a break-in, and told her a nearby auto shop was on fire but it would be fine. Tucker, however, had a bad feeling and went down herself. She broke through barriers to see the extent of the damage, realizing the situation was dire. Tucker, who had invested her own money into her dream boutique, estimates her losses, including the store itself, exceed $700,000.
Also destroyed was Newhall Refinery, a beloved longtime gastropub owned by Christine Munoz and Raphael Gonzalez. Munoz, 38, heard from Tucker about the fire while on a birthday trip and rushed back with Gonzalez, 41. By the time they arrived, the Fire Department had declared their building a total loss. The couple purchased the restaurant in December 2022, seeing it as a blessing after the pandemic. Munoz shared that "It wasn't just a building. It was a home."
The Main, an entertainment venue, also burned down. Its GoFundMe campaign is raising money for staff and actors, having already collected at least $10,000. David Stears, a local community college professor who built The Main and started the Santa Clarita Shakespeare Festival, lost approximately $6,000 in equipment like steel decking and moving lights.
Leon Worden, vice president of the Santa Clarita Historical Society, explained that downtown Newhall, dating back over a century, has a long history of resilience, surviving earthquakes and other disasters. However, it faced economic depression after the 1994 Northridge earthquake and saw major businesses leave for Valencia in the 1970s. Worden noted the irony that this devastating fire in Newhall's central business district occurred at the same location as a fire that consumed a hotel there in the 1880s.
For many, including Worden, the loss is particularly painful due to the collective effort put into restoring Newhall as the valley's cultural center. Shane Bothwell, 39, director of operations for the nearby Old Town Junction restaurant, described the street as the heart of the area. Firefighters were salvaging what they could from the structure on Wednesday, and no injuries were reported. Munoz and Gonzalez are exploring insurance coverage, but the decision to rebuild Newhall Refinery, which they both want, ultimately rests with the landowners.