Ashley Rodrigue / Eyewitness News
Email: arodrigue@wwltv.com | Twitter: @ashleyrwwl
MADISONVILLE, La. -- The owners of a popular restaurant and hangout in Madisonville say they have a plan to rebuild bigger, better and under a new name.
Friends was flooded during Hurricane Isaac seven months ago. The owners say it's the fourth time in six years. There's been a battle with the insurance companies, they said, and an internal struggle on how to put the pieces back together so they couldn't be broken again.
What they've come up with is a plan to expand hundreds of square feet in width and at least two stories higher. The goal is to reopen as 'The Lighthouse' next spring and they hope the overall revamp is something the community supports.
'With the new name and the new venue, we're hoping to be able to accommodate a lot more events and special times in people's lives,' said owner Ryan Richard, 'There's not another location like this on the river. This is one of the best views there is and we don't want to mess that up.'
The owners hope to hold a groundbreaking and party in six weeks.
