SULLIVAN, Mo. — Owners of a Sullivan bar that was destroyed by an EF1 tornado two weeks ago said they may rebuild. One More Pub and Grub was a beloved meeting spot but will need a lot of work to rebuild it.
"I can't say a yes or no at this time but I do know that a lot of people would love for us to rebuild," co-owner of One More Pub and Grub Jane Epperson said.
Epperson emphasized that with more than $500,000 in damages from a tornado on May 7 that she and her husband Jeff are still considering building a bar, maybe even bigger than the one before.
"It's just trying to figure out how we want to rebuild it," Epperson said. "My husband has already done up like two different drawings."
Their insurance is covering the damages after the EF1 tornado hit with winds up to 100 mph. It started near Sullivan High School and ended near the eastern edge of Meramec State Park.
Somewhere in the middle, it struck the bar, which is typically packed on a Friday and Saturday night.
Regular Andrew Askren was there helping to clean up not long after it happened at 4 a.m. that Tuesday.
"Me and my wife, we got up and drove over there, it was horrible," Askren said. 'It looked like there were two walls up there it was."
That local haunt was a skeleton of wood, nails and insulation just two weeks ago. Now, it has been leveled to the ground in the hopes that it can possibly be built back up again.
For now, though, Boomers Sports Bar & Grill also owned by the Eppersons, is the new watering hole, including karaoke nights that "One More" was famous for.
"My go-to karaoke song?" Askren considered on Tuesday. "'Man, I Feel Like a Woman.'"
Those visiting or working at Boomers on May 21 weren't worried about this week's upcoming storms or anything else Mother Nature could throw at Sullivan, which was also hit by flooding after the tornado.
"No, because one of the worst already happened," Askren said.
"I'm pretty sure we've weathered everything except for our home and (Boomers)," Epperson said.
The One More Pub and Grub owners are thinking about doing a benefit like a pool tournament sometime in the near future since they've had an outpouring of support and people asking if they can donate to the rebuild.
