Restaurant owner reflects on tornado damage two years later
AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) – Two years ago, on March 24, an EF-3 tornado struck Monroe County.
It wiped out homes, businesses, and the way of life as people knew it.
The powerful tornado ripped through Amory, leaving destruction, heartbreak, and rubble behind.
Bill’s Hamburgers, a downtown landmark since 1929, took a direct hit.
“All the memorabilia was off the wall. The wind had blown it all down. The front window was busted out. It was a very eye-opening experience to say the least,” said Will Pate, the owner of Bill’s Hamburgers.
Pate wasn’t in charge when the storm hit, but shortly after, he stepped up and bought the place.
He said it took time for the business to reopen.
“It’s been a slow build. We pretty much had to re-staff our entire restaurant, being closed two and a half months,” said Pate.
Some workers didn’t return. Others did, like manager Brittney Houk.
“I really missed by customers. I have certain customers who know me by name. Some even know my birthday. I got birthday cards. It’s really cool meeting all the different people,” said Houk.
Houk said she enjoys telling people the history of Bill’s Hamburgers.
Today, Bill’s is buzzing again—with foot traffic, familiar faces, and back-to-pre-tornado numbers.
“As long as they keep coming and enjoying Bills’ Hamburgers, we’ll be here another hundred years,” said Houk.
From disaster to determination, Bill’s Hamburgers is still serving Amory.
Winona was also affected by the tornado from two years ago and had to be rebuild.
