MAYSVILLE, Ky. (WXIX) – A Maysville business owner was forced to halt renovations on his future restaurant following a fire Sunday.

Wild Bull Saloon has been closed since the COVID-19 Pandemic, but owner Tommy Henderson tells FOX19 NOW he plans to reopen it as a steakhouse in just a few months.

But things got worse.

Just this weekend, a fire broke out in what used to be the Wild Bull Saloon, sending out heavy smoke and flames.

“I worked for two years to make something happen, but you lose it overnight,” he said.

Henderson not only lost his job that night, but also his home. He lived in a second-floor apartment directly above his restaurant.

“And here I was, about a mile and a half from another business, and they said this place was on fire,” the owner said. “I saw. It seemed to come mostly from the back end of the business here.

The deck of the building that was part of Henderson’s apartment was completely destroyed. He says he’s staying in a hotel for now.

“I don’t have insurance here. So my heart was like, ‘Oh, you know, all this money here and get ready to lose it all.’ So I was like having a little bit of an anxiety attack,” she explained.

This isn’t the first time Henderson has had trouble on the job.

When he bought it in 2017, he turned it into a nightclub again. But when COVID hit, his business was shut down.

Despite the challenge, Henderson was inspired by some restaurants in Ohio and wanted to try again.

“And a few years ago I decided to work on it again and see if I could make a steakhouse.”

The new and improved restaurant was only six months away from opening, but since the fire he was unsure if his vision would come to fruition.

He says the fire caused $75,000 worth of damage.

“I’m pretty disgusted. So I need a break, maybe a few more years.”

As of now, it is unknown what caused the fire.

FOX19 NOW has reached out to fire officials for more information.

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