Amado’s iconic Cow Palace was forced to temporarily close its doors after a monsoon storm caused extensive damage to the restaurant.
A storm struck the Amado area hard Sunday night, resulting in excessive flooding and winds strong enough to blow the doors off the building. No one was inside the restaurant at the time of the storm.
According to the National Weather Service, somewhere between 3 and 5 inches of rain hit the Amado area Sunday night, though the water inside the restaurant was much higher than that.
Lynn Greenes, left, owner of the Cow Palace in Amado, says she’s been receiving words of support from friends and community members after hearing about the damage.
“It’s devastation,†Cow Palace owner Lynn Greenes said. “It’s horrible.â€
Cow Palace, at 28802 S. Nogales Highway in Amado, has been around for nearly a century. Greenes said she’s never seen a storm like Sunday’s.
From the chairs to the equipment to the floor, everything in the restaurant is damaged, she said.
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“There wasn’t a spot that wasn’t damaged,†she said. “The pictures tell the story. It’s nothing I’ve ever seen before.â€
The restaurant is closed and it’s unknown when it’ll reopen.
“You just try to figure out what to do next,†she said, adding that it’s frustrating, but that she’s trying to stay optimistic.
There is a set up for the employees who will be out of work until Cow Palace reopens.
Photos: Iconic Cow Palace restaurant in Amado suffers water damage
Cow Palace
The Cow Palace, 28802 S. Nogales Highway, in Amado, Ariz. was damaged due to a monsoon storm that passed over the area on Sunday. Mud and water can be seen throughout the restaurant and all the equipment used for food preparation was damaged. September 4, 2018.
Cow Palace
David Allred carries out whatever food could be salvaged from the Cow Palace, 28802 S. Nogales Highway in Amado, Ariz. on September 4, 2018. The restaurant was severely damaged due to a monsoon storm that passed over the area on Sunday. The owner, Lynn Greenes, put the word out to the community to come take any food that can be eaten.
Cow Palace
The Cow Palace, 28802 S. Nogales Highway, in Amado, Ariz. was damaged due to a monsoon storm that passed over the area on Sunday. The restaurant is temporarily closed. September 4, 2018.
Cow Palace
Lorelin Ahumada, left, and her mother, Lina Ahumada, help with some cleanup in the Cow Palace, 28802 S. Nogales Highway in Amado, Ariz. on September 4, 2018. The restaurant was severely damaged due to a monsoon storm that passed over the area on Sunday.
Cow Palace
The Cow Palace, 28802 S. Nogales Highway, in Amado, Ariz. was damaged due to a monsoon storm that passed over the area on Sunday. Mud and water can be seen throughout the restaurant and all the equipment used for food preparation was damaged. September 4, 2018.
Cow Palace
Lynn Greenes, left, owner of the Cow Palace in Amado, Ariz., says she's been receiving words of support from friends and community members after hearing that the iconic restaurant was damaged after a monsoon storm passed over the area on Sunday. Margaret Moore, a friend of Greenes, stopped by the restaurant to give her support on September 4, 2018.
Cow Palace
The Cow Palace, 28802 S. Nogales Highway, in Amado, Ariz. was damaged due to a monsoon storm that passed over the area on Sunday. Mud and water can be seen throughout the restaurant and all the equipment used for food preparation was damaged. September 4, 2018.
Cow Palace
Amado Westside RV storage in Amado, Ariz. was flooded after a monsoon storm passed over the area on Sunday night. The iconic Cow Palace restaurant suffered severe water damage. September 4, 2018
Cow Palace
Members of the Santa Cruz County public works and flood department work to drain a nearby property of water on September 4, 2018 from a monsoon rain that passed over Amado, Ariz. on Sunday night. The iconic Cow Palace restaurant suffered severe water damage.
Cow Palace
A RV storage park in Amado, Ariz. was flooded after a monsoon storm passed over the area on Sunday night. The iconic Cow Palace restaurant suffered severe water damage. September 4, 2018
Contact reporter Gloria Knott at gknott@tucson.com or 573-4235. On Twitter: @gloriaeknott
Gloria Knott
#ThisIsÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Editor
