After 46 years of serving spaghetti and spumoni on the Seattle Waterfront, Old Spaghetti Factory is closing its doors.
Seattle's Old Spaghetti Factory says December 23 will be its last day. That means fans of OSF have less than two months to get their fill of spaghetti with mizithra cheese or baked lasagna served in a historic trolley.
"We've been coming here since 1970," said one longtime customer when she heard the news on Wednesday. "I remember I graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1972 and a boyfriend and I came here in the spring of 1972. I remember it vividly!"
From first dates to four generations of families who've shared both memories and meals there, the restaurant was a favorite spot for a lot of people.
"I probably came here 40 years ago with my family when I was growing up," said Lisa Skelton. "My father worked at the Space Needle and we would come downtown to meet him and then we would all sit around the table or in the caboose and have dinner here."
The Old Spaghetti Factory opened on Elliot Avenue back in 1970. It was the second Old Spaghetti Factory to open, after the first one in Portland.
Developers bought the building in July of last year. The Seattle Times reports the purchase price was $9 million.
The restaurant stayed open for the past year and a half as developers worked on ideas.
The warehouse building at the site will be part of the new development plans, as it is designated as a Seattle landmark.
The Ainsworth & Dunn Warehouse was built in 1902. According to Seattle's Landmarks Preservation Board, prior to housing the Old Spaghetti Factory it served as a warehouse for Frederick & Nelson’s Department Store, a waterproof glue manufacturer and a kitchen appliance warehouse.
There are currently no plans to open a new Old Spaghetti Factory in Seattle but the company says it hasn't ruled out the idea.
For now, Seattle fans of the Old Spaghetti Factory will need to travel to Lynnwood, Tukwila or Tacoma to get their fix.
The manager at the Seattle location said their phone has been ringing nonstop, as people make reservations for one last meal at The Old Spaghetti Factory's Seattle location.
There's only one day folks won't be able to make a reservation: December 23, the restaurant's very last day. The manager said the demand on that day will likely be so high, they aren't taking reservations.
