Ivar’s Seafood Bar in Spokane Valley Mall permanently closes

Ivar’s Seafood Bar has permanently closed in the Spokane Valley Mall, ending a decade of serving fish and chips, chowder and seafood entrees to customers.

The Seattle-based seafood restaurant chain made the decision to shutter its location in the Spokane Valley Mall food court because of uncertainty surrounding customer traffic amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“We don’t think people will go back to malls in huge numbers anytime soon and, unlike our freestanding stores where people can drive up, pick up food and delivery service trucks can easily get access, it’s much harder to do at mall stores,” said Bob Donegan, president of Ivar’s Restaurants.

The restaurant had been temporarily closed since mid-March, when the statewide stay-home order went into effect.

Ivar’s is in discussion with Brookfield Properties, which owns Spokane Valley Mall, about the mall’s future and what it means for the restaurant’s leased space, Donegan said.

The restaurant chain also closed locations at the Bellis Fair Mall in Bellingham, the Westfield Southcenter Mall in Tacoma and Columbia Center in the Tri-Cities.

Ivar’s opened in the Spokane Valley Mall food court in November 2010.

However, the Spokane Valley Mall closure isn’t the end of Ivar’s in Spokane.

Donegan said he’s looking at sites in Spokane – including in the University District – that could accommodate a 2,000-square-foot restaurant with a parking lot.

Ivar’s was founded in 1938 by Ivar Haglund. It operates three full-service restaurants, Ivar’s Acres of Clams and Ivar’s Salmon House in Seattle, and Ivar’s Mukilteo Landing in Mukilteo. It also manages 22 fast-casual restaurants and 10 walk-up counters at four regional stadiums and Ivar’s Seafood, Sauce and Soup Co.