Seattle's Old Spaghetti Factory to close in December after 46 years

Seattle's Old Spaghetti Factory closed just before Christmas in 2016. After 46 years of family-friendly, tomato-sauce-stained fun, the restaurant closed after the building was sold to a pair of developers. Plans and timing couldn't align to keep the waterfront staple in place, even if its aging canning warehouse building will remain as part of the redevelopment. Pictured: Waiter Tom Baehr poured a carafe of wine from the bulk wine tanks at the Old Spaghetti Factory in March 1970. — Seattle's **Old Spaghetti Factory** closed just before Christmas in 2016. After 46 years of family-friendly, tomato-sauce-stained fun, the restaurant closed after the building was sold to a pair of developers. Plans and timing couldn't align to keep the waterfront staple in place, even if its aging canning warehouse building will remain as part of the redevelopment.

Pictured: Waiter Tom Baehr poured a carafe of wine from the bulk wine tanks at the Old Spaghetti Factory in March 1970.
P-I File

Piecora's Pizza : Piecora's in Capitol Hill had big booths, hot pizza, cold pitchers and friendly service. It catered to everyone, from neighborhood hipsters to families of soccer kids. But after more than 30 years in the neighborhood, the Piecora family called it quits in April of 2014 after selling its property to a huge apartment developer. Pictured is Danny Piecora throwing a pie in 2007. — **Piecora's Pizza**
: Piecora's in Capitol Hill had big booths, hot pizza, cold pitchers and friendly service. It catered to everyone, from neighborhood hipsters to families of soccer kids. But after more than 30 years in the neighborhood, the Piecora family called it quits in April of 2014 after selling its property to a huge apartment developer.

Pictured is Danny Piecora throwing a pie in 2007.
Scott Eklund/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Silver Fork: After 24 years anchoring a busy corner on Rainier Avenue South, the Silver Fork closed in May of 2013. It had great eggs, grits and atmosphere, and was often full of South Seattle regulars. When it closed, the owner said that Safeway, which owned the property, was planning to put a gas station and convenience store in its place. Pictured: Silver Fork regulars (from left) Oscar Ackerman, George Raines, Char Hollingsworth, Bobby Hollingsworth and Sharleen Ackerman eat breakfast on Oct 26, 2007. — **Silver Fork:**
After 24 years anchoring a busy corner on Rainier Avenue South, the Silver Fork closed in May of 2013. It had great eggs, grits and atmosphere, and was often full of South Seattle regulars.

When it closed, the owner said that Safeway, which owned the property, was planning to put a gas station and convenience store in its place.

Pictured: Silver Fork regulars (from left) Oscar Ackerman, George Raines, Char Hollingsworth, Bobby Hollingsworth and Sharleen Ackerman eat breakfast on Oct 26, 2007.
Dan DeLong/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

That howling you heard in recent years was from Seattle foodies again, this time over the closing of Elemental@Gasworks and wine-bar sibling Elemental Next Door. The Wallingford restaurant, hidden and unmarked, was known for truffle popcorn, wine pairings and elegant tasting courses. Pictured are Phred Westfall (L) and Laurie Riedeman, who owned the businesses. — That howling you heard in recent years was from Seattle foodies again, this time over the closing of **Elemental@Gasworks** and wine-bar sibling Elemental Next Door. The Wallingford restaurant, hidden and unmarked, was known for truffle popcorn, wine pairings and elegant tasting courses. Pictured are Phred Westfall (L) and Laurie Riedeman, who owned the businesses.Mike Urban/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Lampreia , the Belltown shrine to haute cuisine, was a minimalist, ultra-expensive experience described as "heaven or hell" in a P-I review. But it helped put Seattle on the fine-dining map in the '90s. Lampreia's replacement, Bisato - also by chef Scott Carsberg - has also closed. Pictured is Lampreia's dish of egg with minced truffles and zucchini flower stuffed with ricotta. — **Lampreia**
, the Belltown shrine to haute cuisine, was a minimalist, ultra-expensive experience described as "heaven or hell" in a P-I review. But it helped put Seattle on the fine-dining map in the '90s. Lampreia's replacement, Bisato - also by chef Scott Carsberg - has also closed. Pictured is Lampreia's dish of egg with minced truffles and zucchini flower stuffed with ricotta.
Gilbert W. Arias/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

After 46 years of brick-building-wrapped spaghetti and lasagna dinner fun, Seattle's Old Spaghetti Factory is set to close Dec. 23.

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The restaurant's parent company, OSF International, announced the news Tuesday, more than a year after the building was sold for $9 million to two local development companies.

When the sale was first announced, there was some talk of keeping the restaurant open, but options to do that seem to have evaporated in the meantime.

"There had been initial conversations to that effect," said Ryan Durrett, director of marketing for OSF International. "The plans and the timing just didn't align."

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Closing the store just before Christmas was picked to give the location "a final holiday season in Seattle," Durrett said.

Plans for the redevelopment included residential, retail and commercial, but as the building has a historical designation, it will retain much of its original canning factory character.

The Seattle Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant was only the second in the chain when it opened in 1970, just a year after the first opened in Portland. Today, the company operates 42 restaurants.

The 70 employees at the downtown restaurant will all be offered jobs at other stores, Durrett said.

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For lovers of the O.S.F dining experience looking to keep the flame going, the company still has restaurants in Lynnwood, Tukwila and Tacoma, among other places more distant.