SEATTLE — Many restaurants were compelled to close up shop on Sunday and through Monday as temperatures rose to unprecedented levels in the Seattle area.
Among them are Taylor Shellfish Farms, a Seattle-area mainstay for seafood, which announced some of its locations will close temporarily during the heat wave. The Pioneer Square location will be closed Monday, while the Melrose Market location closed at 6 p.m. Sunday and won't be back open until Tuesday, according to the restaurant's social media posts.
Eden Hill Restaurant in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood also announced Sunday they will close temporarily when temperatures hit 100 degrees and people with reservations should call to reschedule. Its sister restaurant, Eden Hill Provisions, was open on Sunday but closed early due to the heat.
Among the few restaurants that remained open included Pagliacci Pizza, a local business chain with air conditioning.
The location in Columbia City on Rainier Ave. South, however, closed early on Sunday when one of their several air conditioning units broke down.
"On a day like today, all bets are off," said Matt Galvin, the restaurant's co-owner.
Other locations with working air conditioning stayed open to continue serving customers, Galvin said.
"We at Pagliacci always take pride in being open, whether it's a snow day, or inclement weather, or busy news nights," Galvin said. "We take a lot of pride in being available for our customers."
Galvin said they also consider worker safety. The location on Rainier Ave. South remained closed as the air conditioning was being repaired.
Galvin told KING 5 late Sunday night that all Pagliacci locations on Monday, when temperatures are again expected to break records, will be closed for safety.