BEECHWOOD — The Twisted Pair Bar and Restaurant has suffered catastrophic damage following a fire that broke out just before 2 a.m. Thursday morning.
The sheriff's office said the building had visible flames, with smoke coming from it when deputies arrived.
The aftermath reveals a scene of destruction.
“There’s probably a foot of debris on the floor from things falling off the ceilings," said Jeff Brown, chef and manager of Twisted Pair, as he surveyed the damage. "TV screens are melted, anything plastic is shot. It’s pretty rough."
The overwhelming smell of smoke hangs heavy around the premises, where charred walls and boarded-up windows and melted umbrellas tell the story of the fire's devastation.
“It’s sad. I mean, we poured our heart and soul into this place, you know — it’s not — not easy to see," Brown said, choking up.
The historic building dates back to the late 1800s.
WATCH: Staff devastated as historic Sheboygan County bar destroyed by overnight fire
Locals I spoke to noted that much of the original materials used in the construction were brought in by horse and buggy.
“The original bar from 1866 is a complete, charred mess,” Brown lamented.
The Beechwood Volunteer firefighters suspect that the early morning fog may have concealed the blaze long enough for it to wreak havoc, causing significant structural damage.
The building, located near the intersection of County Road A (West) and County Road S, was unoccupied at the time and is believed to be a total loss. No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Cook William Herrmann, who has deep ties to the bar since childhood, shared his heartbreak as he recounted watching the flames engulf the building.
“Probably been hanging out at this bar since I was 4, 5, 6 years old. I mean, every Sunday we’d come and clean the bar with my mom, and I'd be sitting there coloring my coloring books over by the pool table,” Herrmann recalled.
“It’s the middle of nowhere but definitely somewhere."
"The people, the atmosphere, the lake, the food — it’s just a unique place," Brown added.
Renovated just four years ago, the bar was once bustling with life. “I was glad to be a part of it in its heyday; it brought a lot of life back into the town,” Herrmann said.
Despite the extensive loss, one precious item survived the fire: the restaurant's recipe book, referred to by Brown and Herrmann as their “kitchen bible.”
“It was definitely in there,” Brown confirmed, wiping soot from the cover. “I mean, it’s everything we work off of on a daily basis.”
As the community grapples with the loss, the Twisted Pair team announced plans to relocate to The Beaver’s Tail in New Prospect until they can rebuild. “It should be open in the next week or so,” they said.
