See how, even with fast response and diligent work, firefighters just couldn’t save this Gateway District building from being gutted by the flames …
Using crowbars, firefighters rip open the outside door to “Falco’s Pub”, which was connected to the blazing The Venue Gentlemen’s Club building. PF&R photo by Greg Muhr
By David F. Ashton
The building that housed The Venue Gentlemen’s Club, which permanently shut down last October 26th, “mysteriously” caught fire early on Saturday morning, January 4.
Numerous Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) crews were sent to a “Structure Fire/Commercial Building” at 2:54 a.m, shortly afterward arriving at the single-story building at 9950 SE Stark Street. As the first firefighters pulled up, they radioed dispatchers that they were seeing “heavy smoke” from the building, and it was drifting to the west.
On the roof, Ladder Truck Company firefighters cut open the roof to allow the “vertical ventilation” of the toxic combustible gasses and smoke. PF&R photo by Dennis Weis
The first crews made their way into the blazing structure at the former “main entrance”, facing the parking lot on the east side of the building. Inside, they radioed to the PF&R Battalion Chief that they were encountering heavy smoke inside the building, with fire above them, and moderate heat conditions.
Because this was a large structure with a large volume of smoke inside, the command staff called for a second alarm assignment, bringing in more personnel and fire rigs.
Firefighters pause as they head back inside the main doors of the building to resume extinguishing the fire. PF&R photo by Dennis Weis
With a confirmed fire above the firefighters inside the building, the commander ordered Ladder Truck Company crews up onto the roof, where they cut holes to ventilate the smoke.
Soon the inside crews reported that conditions were improving, and they reported that they believed they had knocked down the main body of fire above them.
Twenty minutes into the firefight, the blaze was announced as being ‘under control’, and the crews began to mop up the hot spots.
With the fire knocked down, crews head back to their rigs, parked along SE Stark Street. PF&R photo by Dennis Weis
A squatter fire?
PF&R officials reported there had apparently been no injuries, but that the fire was “under investigation”.
The next day, more than one person looking at the fire-ravaged building remarked on the squatter encampment at the loading dock on the north side of the building, and numerous people milling around the area. This led to some concluding that this might perhaps be an unintentional, squatter-lit fire.
If you have information about this fire, PF&R Fire Investigation Unit’s tip line, 503-823- FIRE (3473) and reference Case No. 25-1266.
On April 1, 2024, a fatal, daytime shooting took place outside this ‘Gentleman’s Club’ CLICK HERE to see the video and story. East Portland News archive photo
Soon to be Portland’s first Chick-fil-A
The building is located across from the Mall 205 complex, was constructed in 1984, and has hosted many different businesses over the years – starting out as a Tony Roma‘s, then Hooters, and then Rax Roast Beef. After being vacant for a while, it became the Mystic Gentlemen’s Club, and finally the The Venue Gentlemen’s Club and Falco’s Pub.
On November 6, 2024, the property was purchased by Chick-fil-A, Inc., for $3,290,000, according to Multnomah County records, with the announced plan making it the first Chick-fil-A restaurant inside the Portland City Limits.
It’s unclear why the new owners didn’t promptly ring their new property with security fencing and prevent the presence of squatters on the property.
A City of Portland Building Permit shows that the company has issued plans to renovate and refit the building. But, it now looks as Chick-fil-A, Inc. will now need to do more than just a cosmetic renovation to the charred building before they can open the doors to diners.
© 2025 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
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