Weekend Fire Destroys Iconic Ville Platte Restaurant
The future is uncertain for an iconic restaurant in Evangeline Parish, which burned down over the weekend. A fire at the Rendezvous Dinner Club broke out early Sunday morning. Viewers tell us it burned for almost 4 hours as firefighters tried to get it under control.
The owner of the club, John Deville, was out of town over the weekend, but drove straight back when he heard the news. He and his family made the 20-hour trip back to Ville Platte from Maryland. When they arrived, the business was a total loss.
"We got here around noon the following day. I was able to see it for myself, with my own eyes and see the devastation. It was difficult," Rendezvous Dinner Club owner John Deville said.
The building stood for more than 50 years hosting iconic swamp pop legends as a music hall before becoming a restaurant. Deville bought the building just last year. He says his hope was to keep the place open for the community.
"It's devastating for me and my career, but I know it's devastating to this town as well to lose such a landmark that's been here for so long," Deville said.
Deville said he put his whole life into running this place and keeping it going. With everything so fresh on his mind, the future of the restaurant is uncertain.
"Right now, I have no clue. It's still just such a devastation to lose my lively hood that I really don't know at this point in time," Deville said.
Quote