SEATTLE — A Seattle staple in Wedgwood Ale House and Café has closed its doors after 32 years in business.
The closure comes after a new owner purchased the building with plans to renovate it. The owner of Wedgwood, Kip Caputo, said he is in talks with the building owner and is hoping they could reopen once the renovations are complete, but it’s still uncertain if that will happen.
“It is hard -- that’s why we hold out hope that we’ll be able to do it,” Caputo said. “It may look a little different once we’re renovated; I want to keep the same vibe even if it looks a little different.”
With the closure, Caputo’s 12 employees will be out of work, and so he’s started a GoFundMe to help them transition.
“It’s been so awesome, not just the GoFundMe but people giving ridiculous tips to help with the staff, so many hugs, a lot of crying, there’s been a lot of people crying the last couple of weeks,” Caputo said. “It’ll be a tough one tonight, but it’s what we’re here for and what we’ve always been here for.”
It was a packed house on Thursday as loyal customers said their final goodbyes.
“When I moved into my house I didn’t have any dishes, so I came here every day for dinner for about three months,” Evan Hundley said.
Another loyal customer, Aaron Bowater, flew all the way from London to bid the establishment farewell.
“I’m going to be careful because otherwise I’m going to start welling up,” Bowater said. “I had no choice but to book some flights, cancel my plans for the holidays, and head out here.”
Many customers like Rick Williams have sat at the horseshoe bar for more than a decade.
“It’s an institution, it’s sad to see things like this leaving the neighborhood,” Williams said.
The neighborhood treasure will surely be missed.
“It’s just a place where whenever you come in, however you’re feeling, there’s always a warm welcome, there’s always a beer being poured and there’s always a good time,” Bowater said.