The Milwaukee rock and roll community took a blow Monday night as the Rock Shop, 6330 W. Greenfield Ave., in West Allis, was destroyed by fire.

One source said the fire began at 6 p.m. and was "still going strong" by 9:30. The roof collapsed and little appears to remain of the building other than the exterior walls. According to one police officer at the scene, no one was injured in the blaze.

At about 9:30 a.m., fire and police were still on the scene and Greenfield Avenue and adjacent side streets were closed to traffic.

Efforts to reach co-owner Brian Emmett for comment, who was reportedly unharmed, have so far been unsuccessful, but stay tuned and we'll add more information as it becomes available.

The club was opened by Emmett, who got his start booking bands at other area clubs, including Reed Street Station, and Ian Pesch, who was a former owner of The Globe East, in August and had quickly earned a reputation as a great place to see local and regional acts.

The Rock Shop building had served as a club before. It was also the home of the Metropolis teen club and The Globe West.

Local musicians are planning a benefit for the club's owners, beginning at 1 p.m., Sun., Jan. 25 at Vnuk's in Cudahy. Stay tuned to OnMilwaukee.com for updates.