Another piece of Hot Springs' colorful, and often delicious, history is taking its final bow as demolition began Wednesday on the former Purity Bar-B-Que Restaurant and Lounge, located at 1000 Malvern Ave.
Opened in 1973 by Bill Beck, the former union president of General Cable Co., after he left the company, the Purity Lounge operated as a bar for 12 years before Beck decided to go into the barbecue business in 1985. Beck did some remodeling, built an addition to the original structure, which was constructed in the 1940s, and Purity Bar-B-Que was born.
Beck died on July 13, 2007, but his daughters, Rhonda Daniels, Michelle Sandage and Ashley Thompson kept the business going until finally closing in 2012. "We kept it going for awhile, but small business is hard," Thompson said Wednesday at the site.
She noted that Beck's former partner, Harold Steed, who also owned Midway Bar-B-Que, had died last year.
"We tried to keep it going, but it just wasn't feasible," Thompson said. Even after it closed, she said they "tossed around a few ideas" and had some interest from other people in possibly reopening.
"Every time we would come here to clean up or anything, people would stop to ask if we were reopening. People really loved this place," she said.
Throughout the years, several well-known public officials have dined at the restaurant, including senators, congressmen, federal and state judges and a former U.S. president and it remained a landmark of Hot Springs history even after it closed.
Mike Scott, the city's chief building official, said the roof structure began collapsing causing a potential hazard so the city made contact with the owners, who agreed to have it torn down. An inspection revealed the collapse was due in part to the building's air conditioning unit.
"(The roof) was the straw that broke the camel's back, literally," Thompson said.
Melton Excavating of Hot Springs demolished most of the structure that was added on in 1985, but ran into some issues that delayed demolishing the original brick portion facing outward on the corner at Malvern and East Maurice.
Demolition was expected to continue today on the project. Motorists and pedestrians are asked to stay clear of the intersection during the ongoing demolition.
Local on 04/28/2016