By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer

The Stone Barn, a long-time destination for great food, camaraderie and one of the most sought-after wedding reception venues in Chester County, was the victim of a multi-alarm fire early Sunday morning that left one of the area’s most treasured establishments in smoldering ruins.

At 2:48 a.m. on Dec. 8, several fire companies were alerted to a reported fire at the venue’s location on 550 Upland Road in West Marlborough Township. According to the Po-Mar-Lin Fire Department’s social media page, one of its engines was the first to arrive at the scene as the fire quickly advanced through the building. Soon after, the Po-Mar-Lin crew was joined by crews from several other fire departments who provided several water tanker trucks and together, they deployed several fire hoses to defensive operations as firefighters began to extinguish the fire from the outside of the restaurant while also protecting nearby buildings from the heat of the fire.

According to Po-Mar-Lin’s account of the fire, the incident occurred in an area without hydrants, so a tanker task force was requested for dispatch. No one was injured during the fire, but as a precaution, residents of nearby apartments were evacuated as a precaution.

In addition to Po-Mar-Line, the following units provided staff and materials to extinguish the fire: Avondale Fire Company, Cochranville Fire Company, East Brandywine Fire Company, Good Fellowship Ambulance & EMS Training Institute, Good Will Fire Company #2 of West Chester, Hockessin Fire Company, Keystone Fire Company, Medic 94 of the Southern Chester County EMS, Modena Fire Company, Pequea Valley Fire Department, West Grove Fire Company,  West Bradford Fire Company and the Westwood Fire Company.

Now in its fourth generation, the Thomforde family has owned and operated The Stone Barn dating back to 1922, when Charles Thomforde established a working farm, planted an apple orchard, and kept honeybees. In 1958, his son Harold Thomforde began a catering service specializing in chicken barbecues. As business grew, Harold and his wife Elinor began the conversion of the barn – originally built in the 1800s -- into a restaurant in 1962. Renovations were made using reclaimed antique brick, weathered cypress boards, and native fieldstone from old building ruins in the nearby countryside. 

The Stone Barn opened in the spring of 1968, and over the last six decades, it has served many generations of families who have not only enjoyed the Foxfire Restaurant but have witnessed weddings and other receptions at the main barn and at The Mill, whose water wheel – made from an old mill on the Schuylkill River – became one of the most iconic symbols on the property. 

Gina Correnti, the events manager at The Stone Barn, has created a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the restaurant staff whose jobs have been lost due to the fire. As of Dec. 9 – one day after the page was posted -- 18 donations have already raised nearly $1,400. 

A second GoFundMe page created by Maia Tolsdorf from the Fairville School has already received 56 donations as of Dec. 9 and raised $8,700.

“For generations, the beautiful Stone Barn restaurant and event venue has been in the family of Fairville past parent and current grandparent, Charlene Thomforde,” Tolsdorf wrote. “Charlene’s daughter Alex Alvisi and husband Franco have made the Stone Barn their life’s work, along with Alex’s father, Fairville Trustee and Groundskeeper, Kevin Arnold. Charlene and Kevin raised Alex and her brother Nic in the kitchen of the Stone Barn, all of them working together in the kitchen and as waitstaff. Alex and Franco first met when he joined the staff of the Stone Barn as a Garde Manager Chef.

“Instead of preparing for wedding celebrations and holiday feasts, Alex, Franco, Charlene and Kevin are now facing an enormous rebuild. Expenses will begin mounting almost immediately as they work to clean up the property. Regardless of what insurance might eventually provide, the financial impact of this loss will be tremendous.”

To make a donation to the staff of The Stone Barn, visit 

www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-stone-barn-staff-after-fire OR www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-alvisi-family-rebuild-the-stone-barn.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].