When The Village Restaurant, a brick and steel building, burned in early December, its demise meant a loss of one of few contributing businesses in this small DeSoto Parish, La., community.

Now, however, the Shreveport Times reports, the void has been replaced by excitement as Ottie and Billy Franklin have purchased the property and plan to restore what they can and reopen by January.

Added to that is Suzanne and John Brossette's purchase of two vacant steel buildings, with one undergoing restoration for a gift and specialty shop that soon will open.

The second steel building is awaiting final touches and fire marshal approval for a small restaurant to be run by another couple.

"I will add a second hairdresser in about three weeks so we're just going to be booming," said Village Salon owner Amy McCullin.

"We'll be a one-stop shop to buy a gift, get your hair done and eat a good meal. We'll have two hairdressers, gift shops and restaurants. What else do we need?"

Ninette Russell recalls a once-thriving Grand Cane area. Now little by little, Grand Cane is making a comeback that began in the mid-1990s as the Grand Cane Preservation Commission formed and began receiving grant funds to restore the handful of century-old brick and metal buildings.

Business has ebbed and flowed since then, but hit a low point when the favored restaurant succumbed to flames. BackAlley Community Theater and a computer repair business continued to anchor one end of the block.

Village officials have set a September 1 deadline for a man who owns two buildings in the center of the block to make repairs to structures that he allowed to deteriorate.

Failure to do so means the village will take legal action to gain possession of the steel buildings.

The Franklins are still working out details of plans for the restaurant; however, they know they want to keep as rustic and as close to the original as they can. Former owners Kathryn and Andrew Bing will lease and operate the restaurant.

Nilly Franklin envisions a steel building frame to brace the structure, along with a cement floor and metal roof.

"We're committed. I guess you'd say guardedly committed. It's going to cost more than we'll get back," Billy Franklin admits.

So why do it?

"Grand Cane needs it ... as Shreveport continues to come this way ... it's going to be an investment in the future. We're going to need as much as support as we can get."