MENLO, Iowa (AP) -- A fire that gutted a building where an adult bookstore and topless bar was to be located may have been set, authorities said.
``It's definitely suspicious,'' said Menlo Fire Chief Ben Gilman.
Firefighters were called to a fire at the former Iowa Harvest restaurant early Thursday morning. The blaze happened the day after an article appeared in a local newspaper about the bar and bookstore that was to open in the former restaurant, about 40 miles west of Des Moines.
Adair County Supervisor Dick Hoadley said a handful of people came to the supervisors to oppose the new business.
``There's really not a whole lot we can do to stop it,'' Hoadley said.
Marnie Wells, of nearby Stuart, said she didn't have an opinion on the adult store opening but knew people who did.
``There was an overall consensus of people that were unhappy about it,'' Wells said.
Carole Lundby, of Greenfield, said she knew some people were unhappy about the business but didn't expect someone to do something to keep it from opening.
``I hope it was just an accident,'' she said.
Information from: The Des Moines Register
