SAVANNAH, Ga. — Milan Day Spa remains a total loss more than a week after an early-morning fire tore through a Broughton Street block, and owner Catherine Garrido said walking back into the shop felt like a horror movie.
Savannah Fire answered the alarm a little after 3 a.m. Oct. 1 at 10 East Broughton Street. Local television follow-ups this week said smoke still hung in the corridor stretching from Levy Jewelers to Broughton Liquor. Battalion Chief Greg Jacobs said the historic heavy-timber buildings are durable but hard to fight once modified over decades.
Garrido’s spa, a 16-year downtown fixture with about 12 employees, lost its space after more than $50,000 in recent renovations. Operations manager Caitlyn Gualtieri said acetone and alcohol on site helped drive flames up rear stairs. The team is working temporarily from Spa Bliss at 420 West Broughton while they plan a rebuild and look for longer-term space in the historic district.
Levy Jewelers and Broughton Liquor have reopened; Naan on Broughton aimed to reopen late last week, and Estia Kitchen still had no firm date. Guests at neighboring Recess Hotel were evacuated the night of the fire because of smoke. Investigators have called the blaze accidental; the exact cause remains under investigation. No injuries were reported. The Savannah Downtown Business Association asked the public to support the spa’s staff as they relocate.
Downtown merchants said foot traffic on the block dipped while crews worked, then steadied as jewelers and the liquor store reopened. Garrido told reporters her team remains overwhelmed but intends to come back bigger. Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact Savannah Fire investigators as the accidental finding is refined.