by Anthony Glassman

Springfield, Ohio--Why Not III, one of the oldest queer bars in Ohio, suffered a fire over the weekend, threatening the future of the establishment.

According to owner Floyd Hook Jr., also known as JR, the fire was started at the back door late Sunday night. Damage inside the bar was extensive, and it was not insured.

The cause of the fire and the financial scope of the damage are not yet known. Lt. Jeff Lyday of the Springfield Fire Division�s fire marshal bureau said that no information will be available until Hook can let his investigators into the building, most likely no sooner than August 13.

However, Hook suspects arson at his downtown bar.

�The only reason I�m saying that, is the fence was torn open by the back area there,� he said. �It was not like that Saturday night.�

Why Not III is the third incarnation of the bar that Hook has owned. He opened the first one in 1970, before moving to 108 West Washington St. around 1979 and to the current spot at 5 North Murray St. around 1989.

The fire came just a day after a party at the bar celebrating Hook�s 70th birthday.

�When you�re 70 years old, you don�t expect to have to start your life over,� he said sadly.

Hook, who is also an accomplished artist, hopes to reopen the bar that has been so important to him for the last 37 years.

�Well, that�s my intention,� he said. �I don�t have a lot of money, but I�m going to try to take a loan out.�

�With the help of my friends and God, I think we can get it together,� he concluded.