Olde Burien’s iconic Tin Room Bar & Theater will be closing temporarily, according to a Facebook post by owner Danny House published Tuesday morning, Jan. 4, 2022.
House wrote that he has closed the business due to “labor shortage, limited hours of operation, forced closures, mandates, the list is long…”
It is unknown when the popular eatery and theater will re-open, but House wrote “hopefully in 6 months, a year or possibly longer this storm will pass and make it possible for the Tin Room to return in a way I feel represents who we have been the last 17 years.”
“The last few years have been hard for everyone,” House added. “It has been a storm of huge magnitude. Sometimes in a storm the best thing to do is lash everything down, close the hatches and hold out for it to pass and this is what the Tin Room is going to do.”
The Tin Room first opened in 2005 at 923 SW 152nd Street, back in the days before Olde Burien was being redeveloped. The restaurant and bar became an “anchor” for the rebirth, which has since blossomed into one of the hippest small business districts in the region with busy restaurants, bars, clothing boutiques and much more.
“After we opened you embraced us, even in the beginning when we had no idea what we were doing. You allowed us to fail and learn, you kept coming in, smothering us with your generosity, friendship, and love. You allowed us the time to get better and for that I will be forever grateful,” House said.
House said that he will try to keep everyone employed and move them to the Burien Pizzeria (which he co-owns), “which requires fewer people to operate.”
“I wish all of you a great 2022 and a big thank you for taking care of us for so many years which is allowing us to bend but not break,” he added.
For customers who have gift cards, you are asked to call the Tin Room at (206) 242-8040 and they will give you a complete refund.
Here’s House’s full statement:
“Dear friends,
“We opened 17 years ago because my friends and I were tired of driving to Seattle for a great cocktail, a place to watch a game, meet old friends and make new ones. Many of you new to Burien may not realize 17 years ago there was no 909 Coffee and Wine, 913 bar, Classic Eats, Pig Fish Café, Side Street Kitchen, Primo Osteria, Elliott Bay Brewery, Burien Pizzeria, Frankie’s B-town Bistro, El Centro and Grand Central Bakery to name a few.
“After we opened you embraced us, even in the beginning when we had no idea what we were doing. You allowed us to fail and learn, you kept coming in, smothering us with your generosity, friendship, and love. You allowed us the time to get better and for that I will be forever grateful.
“We built a deck, we took a wall down, made the place bigger, we still couldn’t get all of you in, so we built another bar and a movie theater, still there were times we had a wait list.
“I tell the new employees and guests they should have seen this place before Covid, 40 people in the theater, little bar packed, main bar and dining room filled beyond capacity, deck full. We had to squeeze through the place delivering food and drink. The guests without a table or barstool would be circling for any place to sit. The Seattle Times said it perfectly “At the Tin Room, everyone knows everyone, and the amount of back-slapping, cheek-kissing and table-hoping going on in here is enough to make an anonymous urban dweller weep.” When it was time to go you headed to the exit 30 minutes before you needed to because it would take that long to say goodbye to everyone on the way out. It was the most beautiful thing to see and experience as an owner, but what I really hope for is it was the same for you, this was your bar, you made it, without all of you we would not have lasted 17 years.
“The last few years have been hard for everyone, labor shortage, limited hours of operation, forced closures, mandates, the list is long. It has been a storm of huge magnitude.Sometimes in a storm the best thing to do is lash everything down, close the hatches and hold out for it to pass and this is what the Tin Room is going to do. Hopefully in 6 months, a year or possibly longer this storm will pass and make it possible for the Tin Room to return in a way I feel represents who we have been the last 17 years.
“The good news is we will try to keep everyone employed and move them to Burien Pizzeria which requires fewer people to operate.
“I wish all of you a great 2022 and a big thank you for taking care of us for so many years which is allowing us to bend but not break.
“If you have any gift cards, please call us at 206.242.8040 and leave us your contact info and we will give you a complete refund.
“Sincerely,
Danny”
