Lou Gathany for AL.com

A long time Huntsville fixture atop Golf Road, formerly known as The Plush Horse, was originally built as a circular country club perched above the city golf course with a view to downtown Huntsville. Prominent Huntsville businessmen were not successful in selling enough memberships and the Parkway Country Club was soon leased to the American Legion who also failed to make the property profitable.

In 1970 local realtor Dewey Brazelton purchased the property and created a dinner theater. Unable to succeed with that "usage" Dewey re-opened the facility in 1973 as the Plush Horse nightclub.

Offering cheap beer and big name entertainment, The Plush Horse became a popular Huntsville hangout with names such as Tina Turner, Kenny Rogers, Ray Charles. James Brown, Little Richard and many others making appearances at the club.

In the 1980s Dewey used the property as a disco and bar with his son working as the DJ spinning a collection of 15,000 records. The usage of the property continued in this fashion for many years with other names until 2014 when the city of Huntsville refused to renew the club's liquor license.

Restoration Church leaders were looking for rental property in south Huntsville for a new church plant locale. Pastor Angelia Waite having completed her seminary studies and serving as an associate minister at the Madison location of Restoration Church received rental quotes in south Huntsville that were not feasible. And then she met Dewey Brazelton.

Having already sold another property he owned, the former Sunbeam Bread factory on Hwy 20 to Summit Crossing Church, Dewey was open to selling the property on Golf Road to Restoration Church. Shortly before the deal was completed, lightning struck the transformer knocking out power to the building. Dewey told Angelia that God was clearly on her side as he had to spend $40,000 to put in new power to the building.

In June of 2017 Restoration Church closed on the property and expected to begin holding worship services in the building by the following September. That timetable was severely pushed back by the amount of electrical, structural and design changes needed to transition from nightclub to church.

Sunday June 10, 2018 Restoration Church will throw open the doors and welcome all comers to join in worship beginning at 9:00 am. Dewey Brazelton and family plan to be there. Many, many who were once patrons of the bar scene at The Plush Horse have announced to the pastor, Angelia Waite, their plan to be there and share in this miraculous transformation.

The former bar, surrounded by stools will serve coffee. Look for the disco ball. It is still there and will be hanging over the coffee bar. The building will be awash in light and the formerly black walls and black floors will be gleaming white and welcoming.

In the appraisal of real estate there has long existed the principle of highest and best use. A house situated on a busy thoroughfare may have higher value as a real estate office, a doctor's office or maybe a restaurant.

The current usage of this property is as a place of worship. The highest and best usage for a new appraisal: transformation from darkness into light.

For more information on the Restoration Church South Huntsville you can visit their Facebook page & website at http://r4sq.org/.