FAIRPLAY, Colo. — Eight months after a fire destroyed Fairplay's beloved Mr. Burro café, owner Mily Romero is celebrating a comeback fueled by a small town that refused to let its favorite restaurant disappear.
Romero lost everything that morning of December 4, 2025. Her first thoughts were not about the building or the business or herself — they were about her six employees.
"I know they have payments too," Romero said.
The fire came just before Christmas, and Romero worried about how they would all get through it.
"This building is everything for us," Romero said.
But the town of 700 rallied around her.
"Everybody was fighting to keep them here," said Amy Andrews, a customer.
"We were hopeful," a Fairplay city employee and customer said.
The community's support, Romero's family, and a gofundme carried Romero and her team through the months that followed. Now, Mr. Burro has reopened in a new home a block away — with a bigger kitchen and a lake view.
"We did it," Romero said with a deep breath.
The ribbon cutting about a month ago marked more than a reopening. It marked a comeback built on the loyalty of a small mountain town and the determination of the woman who never gave up on it.
"We feel supported by this community. We talk about it. We really want to be here. This community is awesome. This community is great," Romero said.
The café earned the People's Choice award in 2025. Voters chose Mr. Burro again for 2026 — even while the restaurant was still closed.
"They treat everybody so kind," a customer said.
Through all the changes of the last eight months, one thing about Romero has not changed. After the fire, she was grateful for her employees and the support of her town.
"We are a team," Romero said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
