Six months ago, an early morning blaze gutted Jack's Restaurant and Bakery, a longtime favorite local eatery in Old Town Orcutt.

As a result, forks that collectively were primed for the restaurant's famously large and tasty meals were dropped in dismay.

But with the necessary county permits in hand and a new owner for the retail center where Jack's is located, the Orcutt cornerstone should be ready to heat up the grill and feed its many fans by the end of the year.

"Wherever I go, people ask me, 'When is Jack's opening back up?'" said Brian Kea, owner of the restaurant on South Broadway and Union Avenue. "Well, we hope to be open right around Christmas or New Year's Day."

A company called Broadway and Union Mercantile, which is operated by the partners of Ravatt, Albrecht and Associates, purchased the retail center where Jack's is located a few months ago.

A full facade renovation for the strip mall already had received permits, but was put on hold until the fire at Jack's expedited the remodeling, Jim Albrecht said.

So, now, not only is the self-proclaimed home of the "World's Best Hamburger" getting a facelift, but its neighbors will be decked out

Jack's Restaurant opened in 1973, and very little had been done to update the place since then.

"The concrete wasn't laid right, and we found pipes still filled with water from the laundromat that had been there in the 1960s," Kea said.

Many aspects of the establishment were not in compliance with current codes, and the restrooms did not follow Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

"Basically, the dining room outlay is the same, but we designed it to be brighter and with bigger bathrooms," Kea said.

The local favorites are the same, but the menu will sport a few minor changes, he said, and most of the staff will be back.

"I just pray all of our customers will come back when we open," Kea said.

During construction, Patricio's Pizzeria, Old Town Orcutt Barber Shop , Studio 156 Hair Salon and Craft's Kenpo Karate are open to the public.

"I encourage people to come and see all the new improvements happening and new businesses opening up all over Old Town Orcutt, especially If you haven't been here in a while," Albrecht said.