A popular Tacoma pizzeria and karaoke bar has temporarily closed after a kitchen fire over Labor Day.
No one was injured in the fire at Spud’s Pizza Parlor. The Tacoma Fire Department said the blaze was unintentional and likely caused by radiated or conducted heat from operating equipment, worsened by a buildup of grease, spokesperson Chelsea Shepherd told The News Tribune.
The kitchen stretches nearly the length of the building, and smoke spread into almost every room, including the front dining area and the bar in the back. Crews removed part of the sub-ceiling and found some of the roof structure charred.
Spud’s owner, Tracie Paul, praised her staff for handling the situation admirably.
“I want to commend my staff for acting swiftly in the evacuation and also in doing what they could with the incident to keep it from being even worse. I can’t say enough about how much I love you,” Paul wrote in a Facebook post.
While local officials and insurance agents complete their investigation, the team is not allowed inside the pizzeria.
“We are currently still waiting for insurance, the utilities, and the restoral service to clear us for any action. That said, we are moving forward. I don’t have any timeline and I may not for some time,” the post continued.
Paul bought the pizzeria in 2022 from the Almonte family. The timeless lounge draws daytime regulars and fills up for karaoke Wednesday through Saturday, including a family-friendly session every Saturday afternoon, while the pizza remains a staple alongside longtime favorites.
She updated the pizza recipe and refreshed the beer list while keeping classics like the shrimp salad, Canadian bacon sandwich and Spudder chips on the menu.
Sept. 7 would have marked Paul’s three-year anniversary with Spud’s, but the fire disrupted the celebration.
“I very much wanted to write a celebratory post about the changes we’ve made, and more changes and upgrades to come. I wanted to be doing football and breakfast with you guys this weekend. And I really wanted to celebrate three years of business in an extraordinarily tough time to be doing it in this industry,” the post read.
With the reopening date still uncertain, Paul urges guests to follow the shop’s social media for the latest updates.
What Now Seattle reached out to the Spud’s Pizza Parlor team. This article may be updated.
