Food September 9, 2024

Chuck's Dairy Bar opens doors to rebuilt diner in Rolling Fork more than a year after EF4 tornado

WATCH: Rolling Fork restaurants reopen after devastating tornado

By Kelly McCarthy & Danielle Genet

A year and a half of recovery efforts following the devastating EF4 tornado tore that through the small town of Rolling Fork, Mississippi, one small business is finally back on its feet.

Chuck's Dairy Bar is a beloved diner and community hub where owner Tracy Harden safely sheltered her employees in a walk-in freezer when the restaurant took a direct hit March 24 of last year, demolishing the beloved community eatery. Saturday morning, it officially reopened its doors with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Chuck's Dairy Bar owner Tracy Harden welcomed the Rolling Fork, Mississippi community back to the beloved diner for the first time since it was hit by a devastating EF-4 tornado that hit in 2023.PHOTO:

Courtesy of Tracy Harden

Chuck's Dairy Bar owner Tracy Harden welcomed the Rolling Fork, Mississippi community back to the beloved diner for the first time since it was hit by a devastating EF-4 tornado that hit in 2023.

PHOTO: Chuck's Dairy Bar owner Tracy Harden welcomed the Rolling Fork, Mississippi community back to the beloved diner for the first time since it was hit by a devastating EF-4 tornado that hit in 2023.

Chuck's Dairy Bar owner Tracy Harden welcomed the Rolling Fork, Mississippi community back to the beloved diner for the first time since it was hit by a devastating EF-4 tornado that hit in 2023.

Harden and her team, which temporarily operated out of a food truck while the rebuilding was under way, welcomed hundreds of happy guests into the now re-imagined restaurant.

The new building serves as a welcome sign of progress and hope for the Rolling Fork community.

PHOTO: Chuck's Dairy Bar owner Tracy Harden welcomed the Rolling Fork, Mississippi community back to the beloved diner for the first time since it was hit by a devastating EF-4 tornado that hit in 2023.

Courtesy of Tracy Harden

Chuck's Dairy Bar owner Tracy Harden welcomed the Rolling Fork, Mississippi community back to the beloved diner for the first time since it was hit by a devastating EF-4 tornado that hit in 2023.

"No matter how long it took, we are so happy to be back," Harden told Jackson ABC affiliate WAPT at the reopening.

"When I look back over it, it hasn't been that long at all -- something came in and took our whole life in a few minutes," she continued. "Sixteen to 17 months doesn't seem that long to redo the process."

Chuck's Dairy Bar owner Tracy Harden welcomed the Rolling Fork, Mississippi community back to the beloved diner for the first time since it was hit by a devastating EF-4 tornado that hit in 2023.PHOTO:

Courtesy of Tracy Harden

Chuck's Dairy Bar owner Tracy Harden welcomed the Rolling Fork, Mississippi community back to the beloved diner for the first time since it was hit by a devastating EF-4 tornado that hit in 2023.

Chuck's Dairy Bar owner Tracy Harden welcomed the Rolling Fork, Mississippi community back to the beloved diner for the first time since it was hit by a devastating EF-4 tornado that hit in 2023.PHOTO:

Courtesy of Tracy Harden

Chuck's Dairy Bar owner Tracy Harden welcomed the Rolling Fork, Mississippi community back to the beloved diner for the first time since it was hit by a devastating EF-4 tornado that hit in 2023.

The selfless restaurant owner, who has always been a fixture in the small, tightly knit community, added that, "Rolling Fork has always been different. We hang together, stick together. We are going to keep doing that to get our town back."