After 74 years, Seattle’s Ivar’s to close flagship, Salmon House restaurants

Known for all manner of Seattle’s crispy fried fish and creamy chowders under nautical digs, longtime Ivar’s Acres of Clams at Pier 54 and Salmon House will officially close Monday.

Though the two longtime restaurants are expected to reopen next year, Ivar’s Acres of Clams at Pier 54 closure is a heavy hit as the chain’s flagship restaurant. What's more, the closure doesn’t necessarily come in wake of complications with Seattle’s waterfront, it comes alongside the impact of restrictions in place due to the novel coronavirus.

The two restaurants aren’t expected to reopen until spring of 2021 at least, joining well over 50 Seattle restaurants shuttering this year in wake of COVID-19.

As dining rooms closed their doors in March due to restrictions circling the novel coronavirus, numerous restaurants like those of Ivar’s lost nearly all revenues.

“Ivar’s said it has seen a small fraction of past business since their full-service restaurants were allowed to reopen,” KIRO reported.

For now, the seafood chain’s sidewalk fish bars accompanying each restaurant will remain open, coupled with the full-service restaurant in Mukilteo and the chain’s 17 other outposts – of which are significantly lesser dependent on tourism.

But for two of Ivar’s most iconic eateries more dependent on visitors and workers downtown, the future looks wary.

“Without cruise passengers, conventions, tourists, banquets, Sounders, Seahawks, and Mariner fans, and workers in the downtown offices, there are few people eating in our full-service restaurants,” Ivar’s President Bob Donegan said in a statement. “We fear when the weather changes and the rains return, we lose outside dining and we won’t have any customers.”

The closures come following months of battle with the restrictions put in place as a result of the novel coronavirus. But for these two Seattle restaurants and numerous others across the Emerald City, pushing through the rest of 2020 given current conditions simply wasn’t in the cards.

“Ivar’s tried to make adjustments for both restaurants during the pandemic to stay afloat,” Eater Seattle reported. “The company reduced expenses, offered expanded delivery services, and introduced new menu items, including a full slate of barbecue offerings. But the efforts weren’t enough, and Acres of Clams and Salmon House have not come close to breaking even this year sales-wise.”

According to Eater, Ivar’s said it would open its food stands in places like CenturyLink Field “if fans are allowed to attend games at some point.”

As the closures come, so too will nearly 90 of the chain’s employees face fallback.

“We are working to find spaces for them in our seafood bars, chowder production plant, or providing referrals to other restaurants,” Donegan told Eater Seattle. “Almost every one has said s/he would like to come back if we reopen in the spring.”

It’s a concerning strike on the Seattle restaurant world given Acres of Clams’ 74-year-old history, and little direction for what 2021 may bring. Nonetheless, the chain appears hopeful as shockwaves continue to storm the Seattle restaurant scene following months of restrictions and closures.

“In a statement, the company said it was able to ‘modify’ leases with its current landlords,” Eater Seattle reported. “Something other restaurants in the city without the resources of such an established name may not be able to do so easily.”

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