‘We have great support in this city’: Lincoln community backs restaurant after unexpected issues

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Mettle Grill opened its doors just three years ago in Southeast Lincoln.

As subzero temperatures swept across the Capitol City last week, restaurant owner Susantha Weerasinghe said all three of his heating units went out.

“I came in and I was really worried because it was so cold in here,” he said. “It was 46 degrees in the dining room. I’ve got to say, we’ve got some of the best guests in Lincoln. They were willing to stay, they put on their coats, they said ‘we understand but we’ll still stay here and eat’ which means a lot to me. We have great support in this city and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that.”

Days later, a water pipe behind a wall in the building burst, nearly flooding the restaurant.

“About a few days later, a pipe burst and we had to close again,” he said. “We had water everywhere.”

But Weerasinghe said the community once again stood behind him, offering support and solutions to ensure his business could get back up and running.

“We have some really great people in this town,” he said. “The people that came in, it was a quick fix and they didn’t even charge me for it. It was so fast, I think they felt sorry that we had to shut business down. They were so outstanding, the people that came in.”

He told Channel 8 that being a small business owner is hard enough in itself, so when things like this happen, it’s nice to see you’re surrounded by people who care.

“We’re a small restaurant; we’re trying to get our name out,” Weerasinghe said. “For now, we’re working hard to build reputation and to see how many people rallied and commented back in support of us. It’s a humbling experience and it just makes the staff and myself want to work harder to make sure we deliver to the community. We want to be there for them as well.”

Despite all the obstacles, the restaurant is currently open and serving customers.