CLARK COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Hall's on the River, an iconic Kentucky restaurant with nearly 245 years of history, is reopening its doors after being hit by two devastating floods within just three months.
"If you've never seen it, you don't realize what the water does when it comes in. It looks terrible," said Larry Sparks, a longtime customer of the Clark County establishment. "But when it leaves, it's worse because of all the debris, the dirt, the trash."
Sparks is no stranger to the restaurant's flooding issues. His picture hangs at the front of the restaurant, showing him kayaking through high waters surrounding the bar during a 2021 flood.
"It's just unbelievable what's left behind when millions of gallons of water goes away," Sparks said.
Now that river levels have receded, owner Karl Crase is ready to welcome customers back nearly two weeks after the most recent flooding.
"This is just an overwhelming challenge in terms of cleaning up," Crase said.
According to Crase, the February flood only reached the top step, sparing the dining room. However, the April floods were more severe, with water rising several feet into the dining area.
"Basically within 5 weeks of each other, kind of unprecedented. That's not anything we've experienced before," Crase explained.
The financial impact has been substantial. Crase estimates his business will see nearly a $200,000 hit between repairs and lost revenue.
"It's a punch to the gut, it's a punch to the wallet, and the older I get it's a punch to the arm and back," he said.
Despite Hall's having flooded almost too many times to count throughout its long history, Sparks remains hopeful about the restaurant's future.
"It's just so much tradition and people love this place," he said.
