A GoFundMe campaign for Pacific Rim Restaurant has topped $122,000 in twelve days, drawing more than 215 donations from Sarasota residents rallying behind the Southside Village staple after an electrical fire gutted the building on Saturday, July 18.

Co-owner Veth Senenoi, who opened Pacific Rim at 1859 Hillview St. in October 1998, said demolition and cleanup were already underway as of Thursday, July 30. Every inch of the restaurant must be torn down because of smoke damage. The sushi bar's white tiles turned black. Ceiling fans melted.

"Twenty-five dollars, 10 dollars — I start crying," Senenoi told ABC7 WWSB. "It's not just a donation. It's also, 'Veth, I will pray for you, hope you will be better.'"

The fire started around 3 or 4 a.m. July 18 in an electrical area at the back of the restaurant, according to the Business Observer. Firefighters responded at 6:50 a.m., upgraded the call to two alarms, and extinguished the blaze by 7:37 a.m. No one was injured.

That same day, Sarasota tech entrepreneur Rich Swier Jr. launched the GoFundMe with a $130,000 goal. Swier, who described the Senenois as his best friends, wrote on the campaign page that insurance would eventually cover most structural damage but that the payout process can take months. The funds, he wrote, are "for getting help now and starting to repair damage."

The campaign blew past $101,000 within two days, drawing 215 donations by the afternoon of Monday, July 20. By Thursday, July 30, the total had crossed $122,000.

Senenoi said the money will help cover staff payroll for nearly 20 workers, pay for demolition, and support his family while waiting on insurance. Pacific Rim also survived a smaller fire in 2004 that forced a brief closure, but this one requires a complete rebuild.

No reopening date has been set. Senenoi said he is committed to bringing the Japanese-Thai fusion spot back but acknowledged the timeline is uncertain. The restaurant has anchored the Southside Village dining district near Sarasota Memorial Hospital for nearly 28 years.

Donations can be made at gofundme.com/f/support-pacific-rim-after-the-fire.