Lux Lounge will be closed until further notice after a fire early Monday caused extensive damage.
Owner Karrie Laughton said she received a call about the fire around 4:15 a.m.
“I came down and there were flames shooting out my office windows upstairs,” she said. “It was literally your worst nightmare.”
The Rochester Fire Department responded quickly to the South Avenue bar, Laughton said. Officials told her the cause appeared to be electrical, possibly linked to a faulty air conditioning unit on the second floor.
From the street, the building’s red brick facade was blackened by smoke and soot.
On the sidewalk, firefighters left a pile of burned debris, including furniture, posters, props and other memorabilia from the bar. A small group of friends and staff gathered outside, while a neighboring business provided coffee.
No one was inside at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported. A resident cat named Woody, which lives in the office, escaped and was taken to a veterinarian.
Laughton said all events are on hold as the business remains closed during rebuilding.
“Pride Month is next month,” she said. “I was really looking forward to that.”
She said she is working with companies to clean and secure the building before beginning repairs.
“Lux will be back,” Laughton said. “Just not sure when.”
