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Marshall Fire destroys Louisville restaurant two weeks after grand opening

The Rotary in Louisville
Posted at 6:45 PM, Jan 04, 2022
and last updated 2022-01-04 20:45:35-05

LOUISVILLE, Colo. — Police tape still surrounds part of the Village Shops at Colony Square days after the Marshall Fire's devastation.

"It's a setback, obviously, but we're gonna keep going," Scott Boyd said.

He's the co-owner of The Rotary, one of eight businesses destroyed in the city of Louisville, according to the Boulder County Sheriff's Office.

"The 15th of December was our opening day here," Boyd said.

Exactly 15 days later, little did he and his team know they'd be forced to close the restaurant down permanently.

"It's particularly kind of unusual timing," Boyd said.

While most people affected by the fire had to wait a day or more to find out if their home or business was still standing, Boyd says he watched it happen live on the Ring app thanks to cameras both inside and outside his restaurant, making the ordeal even more surreal.

One angle, taken from the front of the restaurant, showed the flames quickly surrounding the building. Just 20 minutes later, another angle captured the devastation those flames would cause.

"It was really like, 'That's our business,'" Boyd recalled.

It's been hard for him and his team to process what happened, but he takes comfort in knowing his home not too far from the restaurant's location was spared and everyone made it out safely.

"At the end of the day, yeah, it sucks that the business is gone at the moment, but, you know, it's a building, not a home," Boyd said.

The future of The Rotary at its Louisville location remains unclear. For now, Boyd and his team are focused on their Denver location, which is still open, while they dream of expanding once again.

You can support the restaurant by dining at its Denver location at 217 S. Holly Street. It's open every day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

From housing to food banks and everything else in between, there are many ways people affected by the Marshall Fire can get help — and how you can help — following last week's devastating wildfire. Click here for more.