HELEN, Ga. — Hours after flames broke through the roof of Cowboys & Angels Restaurant and Bar, owners Chris and Lauren Williams had a message for their employees and customers: They plan to rebuild.
The early Thursday, Oct. 15, fire severely damaged the popular Helen restaurant. No injuries were reported.
“Tonight, we got knocked down! Tomorrow, we start building it back better, stronger, and bigger than ever before!” the couple wrote on social media.
Helen firefighters were returning to the station from another call when they noticed smoke and traced it to the restaurant, according to White County Public Safety. Crews discovered fire coming through the roof and requested additional resources. White County E-911 dispatched a full commercial fire response at 1:50 a.m.
Around 7 a.m., the Williamses shared photos showing the restaurant in flames and what appeared to be extensive smoke damage inside.
Their post acknowledged the uncertainty ahead while expressing gratitude to those helping them through it.
“To our friends and family, thank you for being there and helping us navigate this tragedy! We love and appreciate y’all! We have a lot of unanswered questions and appreciate prayers and continued support!”
The owners said cleanup would begin immediately and that they planned to expedite rebuilding. They emphasized their commitment to employees, calling them “our priority and the heart of Cowboys & Angels Restaurant and Bar.”
They also said all scheduled catering commitments would be honored.
“To our customers, we’ll see y’all soon! We will get through this together!” they wrote.
The Williamses thanked Helen firefighters, EMS personnel, and police for their quick response. They also praised White County first responders.
No official cause of the fire has been released.
Don’t miss what everyone in town is talking about.
Join 4,000+ locals and choose our free newsletter covering news, events and the stories shaping our region.
