Early morning fire destroys 2 Bevier, Missouri businesses - WGEM.com: Quincy News, Weather, Sports, and Radio

A massive fire destroyed two businesses in Bevier, Missouri early Thursday morning.

Bevier fire officials say the well known Pear Tree restaurant was reported on fire around 12:30 a.m. Thursday. The fire spread to the neighboring Black Diamond Museum. A banquet room called the Rainbow Room located in the Pear Tree restaurant was also destroyed by fire. 

Both buildings built in the 19th century are considered complete losses. 

It's a sad day in Bevier as residents look on not believing their eyes.

"Well I got down here at 1:00 last night and left about 4 and I was kind of devastated to see it," said a business owner next door to The Pear Tree.  

Both the Pear Tree and the Black Diamond Museum are just remnants of what they once were.

And Mike Ugolini who is from the area says this will impact the city financially.

"Bus loads would come in on the weekends, but the loss of the revenue for the city, tax dollars, it's going to be pretty devastating really," he said.  

Owner Al Abbedessa says the restaurant employed 40 to 50 people, but he's trying to move them to his other restaurant in Macon because of the holiday season.

"So we're going to try to retain our traffic so to speak. We have a great holiday booking and following and we're in the process now of trying to situation them," Abbedessa said.  

Abbedessa also said he's had 4 fires in restaurants he's owned, and this was "a knockout."

He's unsure if he will rebuild at this time.