Financial Woes Sound the Death Knell for Spur Gastropub

Spur Gastropub permanently shuttered in Belltown last Thursday, multiple news outlets are reporting. The restaurant opened eight years ago under chefs Brian McCracken and Dana Tough, and it's widely credited as a first-generation gastropub, a restaurant that emphasizes modern American food as much as its cocktail program.

The restaurant propelled the careers of McCracken and Tough, who went on to open Tavern Law, The Coterie Room, and The Old Sage; their co-venture seems to have fallen on hard times, though.

"Saying that their critically acclaimed bar restaurant hasn’t done as well in the last year, and that their failed fine-dining restaurant The Coterie Room next door added more financial burden on their enterprise, both owners said Monday they had no choice but to cut their losses and move on," writes Tan Vinh in The Seattle Times.

Spur also suffered a busted hot water heater earlier in the month, which added an expense and further compounded the restaurant's struggles.

The closure has many speculating over whether Tavern Law and The Old Sage, both on Capitol Hill, will remain open. Tough told The Seattle Times they will, though Vinh notes that "several Tavern Law employees [are] saying some of their checks have bounced," and The Old Sage "is often empty on weeknights."