MISHAWAKA — Polito's Italian Restaurant on Grape Road in Mishawaka is in ashes after an early morning fire. The business next door, Spas Factory Direct, also went up in flames.

When fire crews arrived they reported flames shooting as high as 20 feet in the air. Both businesses are a total loss.

Emotions were running high at the scene of the fire Friday morning.

“I talked with Frank [Polito] and his wife this morning and of course they’re devastated as well," said Spas Factory Direct owner Robert Eberhart. "They’ve been here a long time as well, and they’re determined that they’ll rebuild and we’ll rebuild too. So it’s just a matter of re-grouping and figuring out what we want to do and where we want to be.”

The Polito family told WSBT News they went to bed Thursday night with their business intact. They awakened startled with the news their business was up in flames. They could even see the flames and smoke billowing from where they live.

Firefighters worked through the night and early morning battling this blaze. When the sun rose the family business was gone. The Politos say this business was their life.

“It was hard to watch,” said owner Rebecca Polito. “It was hard to see things falling … it was just devastating. It was a mom and pop shop — our first restaurant — and now we don't have it.”

“We’re unemployed right now,” added Frank Polito. “We've got no job to go to. Every day we had a job to go to ... for 12 years.”

Meanwhile, employees of Spas Factory Direct ask customers to bear with them, as many records and delivery information were lost in the fire. But most of the hot tubs scheduled for delivery were safe from the flames.

The exterior of the Outback Steakhouse located next door to Spas Factory Direct was damaged by fire, but inside, with the exception of a little smoke, the owner says everything seems OK. He is meeting with the fire marshal to determine if Outback can open Friday night.

Polito's and Spas Factory Direct are located in the JMS Plaza on Grape Road next to the Barnes and Noble book store. The owner of the plaza, Joseph Simeri, talked to both business owners Friday morning and he says both want to rebuild.

Firefighters say the fire likely started in Polito's kitchen and spread through the building.

Stay with WSBT News for updates.