Spud’s Pizza Parlor won’t reopen under Tracie Paul, the operator who had been working to restore the South End restaurant with her husband, Josh. Paul confirmed the decision to The News Tribune in late October, more than a year after a kitchen fire shut down the restaurant. She said the hurdles had become too difficult to justify.
The fire broke out during lunch service on Aug. 30, 2025. No one was injured, but the pizza ovens were damaged beyond repair, smoke damage required extensive restoration, and firefighters had to remove part of the ceiling to reach the fire. The restaurant has remained closed since then.
Break-ins added to the setbacks. In January, Paul told the News Tribune the site had been broken into five times. The latest break-in damaged the interior and took sports memorabilia from the restaurant. Earlier reporting also described how the closure left the business without revenue while Paul faced repair, insurance and utility costs.
Paul’s decision means Spud’s will not return under its current operation, but the building’s future is still unresolved. The property owners have said they hope another operator may want to continue the restaurant; no successor or reopening plan has been announced. For now, the long-closed Pacific Avenue spot is waiting to see whether someone else will take it on.
Read the original News Tribune article here.
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