The fire consumed Grits Cafe, leaving the smell of smoke in its void.
Right next door is the Rose Theater. The two businesses shared a wall. The theater suffers from smoke and water damage.
Theater volunteer, Rhett McMurray says those are minor compared to what Wayne and Teri Wetendorf, owners of Grits Cafe, must endure.
"Wayne and Teri have been major contributors to this community. They have helped us tremendously with various fundraisers. We feel like family," he said.
13WMAZ's Judy Le spoke to Teri Wetendorf Tuesday morning, but she declined to go on camera. She was visibly shaken and close to tears. Her and her husband stopped by the restaurant to sift through the remains to try to find anything salvageable. Wetendorf says she's unsure about the next step, but she wants to take care of her 30-40 employees. She says she does plan on rebuilding Grits Cafe.
Angie Ellis, owner of a nearby business, Flowers by Helen, says nothing in her store can be saved. She marked down her floral arrangements in an everything-must-go-sale.
"It could've been a lot worse. We're still standing and I thank God we're here and nobody was hurt.