Buy beers, help rebuild a bar
Tonight at Kamikazes Bar and Grill all door proceeds and raffle tickets go to help bring Circle Inn back.
The beloved family-run Sunset pizzeria and bar for over 70 years burned to the ground on January 2, but with community support is hoping to rebuild in the same location.
Image provided by Circle Inn
Independent NewsA devastating fire completely destroyed the three-generation family pizzeria and bar in Sunset on January 3. When the blaze erupted on that Sunday night, the one employee in the building reportedly barely escaped with only the shirt on his back. An entire community in the Northern Utah area mourns the tragic loss of their beloved gathering place for more than 70 years and several businesses in the food and beverage industry have stepped up to help.
Kamikazes Bar owner Tommy Melonas says it “hits close to home.”
Starting at 5:00 p.m. today, the “house of rock” has a line-up of local musicians, from legendary acts to new bands—The Heavy Bucket Band, Richie and Roby Kap (The Kap Brothers), JD & the Brass Saddle Band, Raspberry Protocol, and Freedom Before Dying—for a $10 entrance fee that will go to support the Circle Inn rebuild.
Today’s amazing lineup of local musicians and raffle prizes at Kamikazes will raise funds to help Circle Inn.
Image provided
The Outlaw Saloon and Do Drop Inn Bar & Grill recently had events to raise money for Circle Inn employees and its reconstruction. On February 19, Golden Beverage is hosting a pizza party, with Circle Inn providing the pizza with support from Steiny’s Family Sports Bar and Grill who is letting them use their kitchen, and Taboo Pizza is currently sending their pizza out in Circle Inn pizza boxes with a link to the Go Fund Me page that has raised over $8,000 so far.
Circle Inn owners Garrett Schroeder and his mother Exie Schroeder are amazed by the support, and particularly surprised that such a direct local competitor like Taboo Pizza would offer support in such a big way.
Taboo Pizza in Ogden is currently sending out their pizza in Circle Inn boxes with the Go Fund Me link to help raise money for a fellow member of the pizza community.
Image provided
“All we can do is say thank you. We truly appreciate it,” Schroeder says.
The family has owned and operated Circle Inn in its current location starting with Garrett Schroeder’s grandfather in the 1950s. Schroeder says his grandfather taught him everything he knows about business and with this shocking incident came a new lesson—”look at your insurance rates.”
“You don’t expect your building to burn down,” he says, adding that he thought they had decent coverage. Melonas, of Kamikazes, says he doesn’t know any small bar owners that are completely insured because it’s so expensive.
Schroeder says the goal is to rebuild in the same spot at 2235 North Main Street in Sunset. There are some doubts after finding out how underinsured they were, but he is confident they can find a way for the reconstruction.
“We just want to get back to making pizzas,” Schroeder says. They are currently looking for a temporary location to at least start serving pizza again as soon as possible and hope for the rebuild to happen within twelve to eighteen months.
Circle Inn devotees won’t have to wait too much longer for their favorite pizza. The Circle Inn is looking for a temporary location to keep making pizzas until the new pizzeria and bar is re-constructed.
Image provided by Circle Inn
Today’s fundraiser at Kamikazes at 2404 Adams Avenue in Ogden starts at 5:00 p.m. and goes all night until close. $1 raffle tickets and tons of awesome prizes given away in between the bands, says Melonas. The entrance fee is $10 and all proceeds go to the Circle Inn.
Anyone who wishes to help can also donate through the Go Fund Me page, here.