It took two years for Slice to open its doors. And only two weeks before it had to close.
On Tuesday, co-owner Adam Kado came to his pizza shop around 7 a.m., like usual, to take the dough out of the freezer. He left. And at 9 a.m., he got a call from the fire department, telling him there had been a fire.
"I was just there a couple hours ago. I didn't see anything funny," Kado said. "I was kind of caught off guard."
An outdoor refrigerator, encased in wood, had been ablaze, and the flames caught onto the side of the building — a former insurance office on a pizza slice-shaped parcel on E. Hennepin in Minneapolis.
Kado says he does not know the cause.
The siding was damaged, as well as the electrical system. And the refrigerator — and all the produce inside — is gone. Kado estimates Slice will be closed until Nov. 2.
"What's most frustrating about it is that it's been so rocky to get here," Kado said. He and co-owner Hosie Thurmond have been developing Slice since 2019. It finally opened Oct. 2 and had a busy couple of weeks, routinely selling out of slices from the walk-up window.
The long journey has taught Kado something that will help Slice persevere, he said.
"Because we've been through so much, we have such a tolerance for those difficult times. We've been so resilient so far, and now with the support of the community, we know we'll make it through."
Slice is at 519 E. Hennepin Av., Mpls., slicepizzamn.getbento.com. Check social media for reopening updates (instagram.com/sliceminneapolis).
