After months of renovating her fire-damaged restaurant, it was a turning point for Chimayo owner Karen Campbell when she dusted off the ashes from a ceramic altar she’d had since the beginning, put it above the new fireplace, and lit each candle.

“This has been a horrible experience, but I’ve learned a lot about what’s important to me,” Campbell said. “I was 30 when I started the business, and these changes are a reflection of who I’ve become.”

Among those changes are an expanded kitchen, a more simple, affordable dinner menu, and an entirely new décor.

“Even though the fire only burned part of the floor, the smoke damage was extensive,” Campbell said. “Every surface had to be sanded, resurfaced, or completely replaced. The new look is more elegant, but I loved the old Chimayo too. It was hard to let that go.”

The restaurant, which serves southwestern cuisine, will reopen on April 18 and serve lunch from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the first two weeks.

“Once I get my feet steady, we’ll have the dinner menu available,” Campbell said. “It will be more casual, more affordable, and back to some of the basics. People still want to eat out, but not spend a lot of money.”

The Jan. 23 blaze was attributed to spontaneous combustion in a laundry hamper. The temperature inside the space, which is in the Our House Mall building, was so high that a ceiling fan near the epicenter of the blaze melted. The smoldering flames were quickly extinguished by the fire department, but had there been an open window, or the seals on the doors and windows been less tight, the fire could have quickly spread throughout the building.

The smoke damage was so severe that even Campbell’s Cuisinart and kitchen items had to be thrown away. Other businesses near the restaurant were also affected by the smoke damage.

“It was so much worse than we realized in the first few days,” Campbell said.

In addition to its new cobalt blue and pale yellow walls, Chimayo now has a much larger kitchen space, a commercial dishwasher, stainless steel appliances, and a working fireplace.

But with the renovation of the building came code upgrades.

“I’ve had to learn about all new things,” she said. “It’s been a huge challenge. It’s been strange not cooking and serving people every day. I’ve learned a whole different skill set.”

Campbell says the owners of the building, Bob Eagan and Josephine Banks, have been supportive of the endeavor and worked with contractor Joe Wolford on the project. It was Eagan’s idea to strip the floors down to their original wood. Her employees have also helped with sanding, painting, and refinishing. Insurance paid for some of the repairs, but not all.

“I urge anyone who is in business to review their insurance policy and really understand the steps,” Campbell said.

Her insurance company provided $1500 for lighting, and Campbell says it was “like a treasure hunt to find lighting to fit within that budget. My friend, employee, and interior designer Raeyna Salisbury was obsessively online finding things for my approval.” Through those efforts they found the wrought-iron candelabras and ornate fixtures that decorate the space today.

April 15 marked the 15th anniversary of Chimayo, which started as a walk-up burrito window.

“People were lined up down the street and around the corner that first day,” Campbell says. “And it’s been busy ever since.”