The original Famous Dave's in Hayward, Wisconsin. Photo from Dave Anderson / Facebook

The first location of the Famous Dave's barbecue restaurant was destroyed in a fire on Monday morning.

Dave Anderson (Lac Courte Oreilles / Choctaw) opened the restaurant in Hayward, Wisconsin, in 1994. The location is right outside the border of the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation.

"This wasn't just a restaurant... it was my dream for 25 years before it even opened," Anderson said on Facebook yesterday. "Through many tough times in my younger days, it was this dream that kept me going through thick or thin."

The cause of the fire is unknown. But Anderson, who ran the Bureau of Indian Affairs for part of the Bush administration, vowed to rebuild.

"Please let everyone know this is only a temporary setback and we will begin anew!!!" Anderson said.

The chain boasts more than 180 locations in 37 states and Canada.

Get the Story:
Original Famous Dave's burns down (The Sawyer County Record 11/4)
Fire in Hayward, Wis., destroys the first Famous Dave's restaurant (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 11/4)