By Tereasa Nims
LUZERNE – Those anxious to belly-up to the bar or order a burger and fries at Ma Deeter’ can stop by today as the new restaurant is open for business, destroyed by fire last year.
‘I’m super excited,’ said long-time Luzerne resident Michele Jones, who witnessed the fire that destroyed the land-mark restaurant to the rebirth of it (She rescued burned kittens from behind the restaurant).
While the new restaurant is smaller, owner Brian Smith said it will still seat the same number of patrons. He said they didn’t rebuild the upstairs, which housed hotel rooms in the former Ma Deeter’. Smith said they hadn’t used the space upstairs in the three years of owning it.
‘The cost was astronomical to do that,’ Smith said, noting that doing so would have elevated costs to over $1 million.
Smith remembers the Oct. 1 fire that broke out after 2 a.m. His parents had an EMT living with them and that person got the call that the restaurant was on fire via a police scanner. Smith’ parents then immediately called him at his Fairview home.
‘I jumped out of bed and drove there,’ Smith recalled, noting that he could see the flames 12 miles away. By the time he arrived, he said the blaze consumed nearly all of the business.
Smith said he watched three years of his work go up in flames and he couldn’t do anything about it. In the end there were only ashes, embers and a sign left.
After the fire was put out, Smith knew the business would rise again.
‘It’ a historical marker,’ he said. ‘Everyone knows Ma Deeter’.’
The fire was Oct. 1 and by November ground was broken to rebuild.
When rebuilding, Smith opted to use patron businesses to help. He said they used Indian River Log Homes to build and logs from WoodHaven Log & Lumber in Mio.
‘We wanted to keep it local and with people that were our customers,’ Smith said.
Smith said he’ gotten a lot of positive feedback about the rebirth. But, he’ also gotten bashed, too, because it isn’t the same.
‘It can’t be the same. It could never be the same,’ Smith said of the 100-year-old business that once stood.
Yet, it will still offer the same amenities to those wanting to dine, drink, and thirsty snowmobilers and hikers.
Jacob Nutter, formerly of Luzerne, has many fond memories of Ma Deeter’. He said it was the main stop to get warm and drink a beer when running the snowmobile trails. He also remembered waiting in line to use the payphone at the restaurant because it was about the only one around.
Former Ma Deeter’ waitress, bartender and cook, Annice Fawcett-Fuller said the restaurant was full of so many memories and wonderful people that came. She said the landmark place will be truly missed. She is anxious to see the new restaurant and thrilled they kept the name.
She is regretful she didn’t take the original Ma Deeter’ sign when offered. She said it was full of wear and tear and a lot of bullet holes.
Jones said the establishment has brought in a lot of revenue for the area. She said with it being new, it’ going to be different without the squeaky floors.
Ma Deeter’ is located at 2262 Deeter Rd. in Luzerne. For more information call 989-826-1013.
