The owner of The Hitching Post said he was “more sad” for the north Alabama town’s residents than himself when a fire engulfed the iconic DeKalb County business Thursday and destroyed what is believed to be the town’s oldest shop.

“My main thing is that it was lost for the city,” Jerry Clifton told WAFF. “I know how much they loved that structure and I’m more hurt for the citizens than really what happened to me as far as owner of the building.”

Clifton said The Hitching Post was undergoing renovations when the fire erupted Thursday at the building located at the corner of Alabama 117 and DeSoto Parkway in Mentone.

“We had friends in there Thursday afternoon working because there was actually going to be folks moving in [and] getting stuff set up,” Clifton said, according to WAFF. “The plan was to have stuff up in operation in a couple weeks.”

The fire reduced The Hitching Post to ash and rubble.

Clifton said The Hitching Post was “a gathering place for the community and when I first bought it that was my vision was to recreate it to what it once was,” WAFF reported.

On Sunday, the business’ Facebook page posted: “Fire can destroy a building, but it cannot take away a dream.”