After a fire in July destroyed two historic buildings in downtown Madison, local developer and restaurateur Preston Snyder is leading efforts to help the community recover. The fire on July 13 severely damaged Betty Gene’s restaurant, which Snyder named after his late mother, as well as the offices of his companies MAD Hospitality and Thomas Preston Real Estate. The Sinclair, an outdoor dining venue also run by Snyder, suffered smoke and water damage but was able to reopen nine days later due to its reinforced masonry walls.
Community Roots Market, owned by Snyder’s wife Cindi Fetch, was also affected by the fire. While much of it was destroyed, there are plans for a partial reopening in the future. The market had served as a neighborhood hub for fresh food and pantry staples.
Snyder relaunched Betty Gene’s as a pop-up at Buggy Works on July 24. He said the new location allows them to meet growing demand for private events while they consider long-term redevelopment plans for the original site.
According to Snyder, “the fire ‘destroyed the space—but not the spirit—of Betty Gene’s.’” He added: “This isn’t about bricks and mortar. The Sinclair, Betty Gene’s, and Community Roots Market are more than just businesses. They’re gathering places, anchors of our downtown and pillars of Madison’s small-town spirit. Partially restoring them means bringing back a sense of normalcy, pride, and connection for the entire community,” he says.
Snyder noted that redevelopment will help restore jobs for about a dozen employees who were displaced after the fire. He has received recognition for his work in historic preservation and adaptive reuse in Madison.
MAD Hospitality focuses on creating chef-driven restaurants in restored historical spaces throughout Madison, located about an hour from Atlanta. Other projects developed by Snyder include The Dining Room, Hart & Crown Tavern, The Patisserie on Main and The New South Motor Inn.
