Generations of neighbors: Fire destroys Wilson’s Pool Room, but not the bond with nearby business

VERSAILLES, Ky. (WKYT) - A fire Thursday morning destroyed Wilson’s Pool Room and left three people displaced from apartment above it in downtown Versailles. The cause of the fire has not been announced.

Neighboring businesses rallied around the owners, siblings Ben and Jackie, as the fire burned through the building.

‘More than just neighbors’

Sean Carroll, vice president of Carroll Floor Covering directly across the street, says the connection between the two businesses spans generations. Carroll’s grandfather returned from World War II and hired the man who would eventually buy the building across the street, opening Wilson’s Pool Room in 1955. Carroll’s family has owned their building since the 1940s.

“Just absolutely devastating to see what was happening over there,” Carroll says. “Watching Ben and Jackie and just seeing how — just all the history in that building and everything that their lives have been there forever — just going up like that was really hard to watch.”

Carroll says the relationship with the Wilson’s Pool Room owners goes beyond a business connection.

“They’re more than just neighbors,” he says, “Every time we see them they’re ones that you sit there and say hi, how are you?”

Community support continues

Carroll Floor Covering and other downtown businesses opened their doors to firefighters and the owners on the day of the fire. Carroll says the folks who own the pool room were able to salvage photographs, including one showing his grandfather together with Ben and Jackie’s grandfather.

“Jackie was bringing a photo album in, we were flipping through there — it was on the first page, there was a picture of my grandfather and her grandfather sitting at the bar,” Carroll says, “The picture was probably from like 1960 or something like that.”

Despite the loss, Carroll said Ben remain in good spirits.

“As I was walking down the street yesterday, Ben, you know, in a laughter mood — he was like, ‘Oh, I might need some floors,’” Carroll says, “We can certainly help you out with that.”

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Carroll says he hopes the owners will rebuild.

“As devastating as it is, I hope that they can see this as a blessing and rebuild,” Carroll says. “It is such a staple in town. We need the pool room.”