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PLEASANT GROVE — The owner of a popular Utah County restaurant isn’t letting a fire keep him out of business for long.
Damage from a fire Saturday was bad enough that customers were forced to go without their favorite burgers and shakes from the Purple Turtle for several days, but the owner plans to reopen Friday.
Mati Mayfield was disappointed Wednesday when she pulled up and found she wouldn't be eating lunch at the Purple Turtle.
“As a teenager I remember coming, and it was fun. … We always had a great time," said Mayfield, adding that the restaurant has "great hamburgers."
The Purple Turtle, 85 S. State, has been a part of Pleasant Grove for nearly 50 years. On Saturday morning, smoke was pouring out of the drive-through window. Firefighters were able to knock down the fire quickly and contain it to one side of the building.
(We were) really close to losing the whole building. Another 20 minutes, we would have lost the whole roof. It was a blessing to have someone notice it and call it in and have the fire department respond so well.
–Clark Evans, Purple Turtle owner
"The light switch or the control knob is where the fire started, and the fire burned up as well as down,” said Clark Evans, owner of the Purple Turtle since 1979.
Evans started working at the Purple Turtle when it opened in 1968 when he was a senior in high school.
"(We were) really close to losing the whole building,” he said. “Another 20 minutes, we would have lost the whole roof. It was a blessing to have someone notice it and call it in and have the fire department respond so well.”
Workers are now rushing to get the Purple Turtle back in shape with new drywall and paint to cover up the smoke damage.
For employee Andrew Wilkins, the Purple Turtle holds a special place in his heart.
“Well, I met my wife here,” Wilkins said.
The Purple Turtle is an institution in Pleasant Grove. It's where hundreds of high school kids found their first job, and where many have memories of Friday night dates with a Purple Turtle shake.
Evans said he believes the food, the location and the name keeps people coming back.
"We have great loyal customers,” he said. “We have a lot of friends on Facebook and a lot of support. We're grateful for that support."
Word of the blaze spread like wildfire on social media. People were worried the Purple Turtle was going to burn to the ground.
A “Support the Purple Turtle” group was created on Facebook. Dozens of people are planning to eat at the Purple Turtle as soon as it reopens.
And how did the restaurant get its name? Apparently the original owner had a dream, and in his dream saw a turtle stick its neck out with a sign that said Purple Turtle, and the rest is history.
