An iconic DeKalb County building burned down to the ground late Thursday night.Â
The Hitching Post, off Alabama 117 in Mentone, was considered the crown jewel of the small town. For more than a century, residents and visitors alike had stopped to shop, dance and mingle at the historic location.
What remained on Friday of Mentone's the Hitching Post, which caught on fire late Thursday night.
Members of the community said they were grateful nobody was injured, but they will miss seeing the historic building.Â
"I started crying. I mean, I sat down on the edge of the bed and started crying," said Sharon Barron, who owned the Gourdie Shop inside the Hitching Post for nearly 40 years. "I mean, it was my life."
A new owner New ownership took over the building about a year ago, and they were just days away from finishing renovations. Plans included new shops and an upstairs music venue.Â
"I'm just in shock. I mean, I just couldn't believe it," said Jerry Clifton, owner of The Hitching Post. "We were actually meeting the tenants that were moving in this morning."
Clifton said seeing the destruction hurts personally, but he feels worse for the Mentone community.Â
"The thing that bothers me more than anything is the fact of what it was lost for the Mentone community," said Clifton.Â
Members of the community said even with the heartbreak they were feeling, the memories will never fade.Â
"That was a memory I'll cherish, and that was a part of my life," said Barron. "I'll tuck it into my heart."
DeKalb Fire & Rescue is investigating the fire. It was unclear as of Friday evening what had caused it.
