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A fire Sunday morning has devastated one Oak Park business and temporarily closed two others.
According to one witness report, the fire broke out somewhere on the roof of 726-736 Lake St. about 6 a.m. That building, at the corner of Oak Park Avenue and Lake Street, houses Red Hen Bread, Klay Oven, Geppetto’s Toy Box, Velvet Rope and Flat Top Stir-Fry Grill.
Velvet Rope appears to have taken the worst of the damage. The front windows have all been shattered and the view from the street looks as if the fire completely gutted the once chic Oak Park restaurant and cocktail lounge.
As of 12 p.m. police and fire investigators were still on the scene at Velvet Rope.
An email and Facebook posting from Geppetto’s Toy Box co-owner Brandy Masoncup says the store sustained only a small amount of smoke damage. A subsequent Facebook posting says the store will be closed all of Sunday while a crew works to clean up the smoke damage.
