WillaDean’s Tavern burns down: Fire under investigation

The locally popular barbecue and southern restaurant WillaDean’s Tavern burned down between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4.

Hartwell Fire Chief Alan Daniel said dispatch received a call reporting the fire at 5:17 a.m., with his unit responding from there. The flames were largely put out by 6 a.m. By that time, the roof over the bar/restaurant portion of the facility was collapsed and most of the building appeared to be in ruins.

Observing the scene at 1615 Reed Creek Highway during the late morning, WillaDean’s co-owner John Putnam simply said, “shocked and devastated.”

The office of Georgia State Fire Marshal John F. King was contacted and arrived at about 1 p.m. Tuesday to conduct an initial investigation, jointly with Daniel’s department.

Daniel said late Tuesday that the cause of the fire was under active investigation.

“We’ve still got it under investigation, trying to find the cause. We had so much debris right now from the roof collapsing, that we’re going to have to get down there and get some of that stuff removed so we can get under there and see it,” Daniel said. “So we’re still continuing our evaluation right now.”

When asked if he could rule out foul play, Daniel said, “I’m not going to do that, but it’s not leading to that right now, I don’t think.”

Daniel said the city and state departments would likely be investigating the scene over the course of Wednesday and Thursday.

“We’re going to use some equipment to move some stuff around and then hopefully get an answer,” he said.

“It’s just so damaged, that we have to rule everything out.”

Jackie Newman, co-owner, said she was awakened Tuesday by police officers at her front door.

“The police came to our house. They tried to call our phones but we usually have [the] ‘do not disturb’ [setting on at that time], especially when we’re closed on Tuesdays because it allows us to sleep in,” she said.

“So they came and knocked on our door and told us, so we, of course, ran up there then.”

Newman said she was startled by the initial scene in her driveway.

“The first thought you have is that someone has died in your family, like what you see on TV. It was overwhelming because they have your lights on in your driveway and the whole shabang,” she said.

Newman said Tuesday it was unclear what was next for the WillaDean’s family.

“We’re so overwhelmed and exhausted and devastated,” she said. “Our employee family, they’ve all kind of come together.

“We were standing there [watching the scene], then one [of our employees] showed up, then another showed up. We didn’t call each other. We just kind of all showed up and gathered there in the yard. I think our focus is just making sure they’re OK — just taking care of our employee family as best we can.”

WillaDean’s opened in May 2022, popularly serving smoked meats and sides such as brisket, pork, chicken, green beans, fried okra, hash brown casserole and much more. The restaurant, at the location of predecessors Rack’s and Swamp Guinea, also had a full bar with happy hour and themed nights.

The Hartwell Sun reported in February 2022 that Newman left her career in Atlanta, where she was vice president of innovation at a large health-care organization, deciding to follow a passion of hers planted by the restaurant’s namesake, her grandmother.

“The restaurant is a tribute to her,” Newman said. “I cooked with her growing up. They had a huge garden and I would go out with them as a little girl, learn how to garden, pick the things from the garden and then bring them inside and cook them from scratch. WillaDean is who taught me how to cook.”