Historic Folsom pizza restaurant closing. BBQ spot with whiskey heavy bar taking its place

Local pizza chain Chicago Fire will close its original location in Historic Folsom in the coming weeks, owner Eric Schnetz announced in a press release Monday.

The restaurant at 614 Sutter St. is less than four miles from Chicago Fire’s Palladio shopping center location, and its operating costs have risen in recent years, Schnetz said. He opted to replace the 17-year-old flagship with a new concept rather than continue to compete against himself.

“As much as we appreciate our loyal following on Sutter Street, the overhead is simply too high to continue to operate two like restaurants in the same community,” Schnetz said in the press release. “We intend on retaining the talented Sutter Street crew going forward.”

Schnetz will instead open J Wild’s Livery and Feed, named for the stables and horse supply store that occupied 641 Sutter St. in the late 19th Century. Photographs, murals and other art inside the new J Wild’s will hearken back to that time.

Chicago Fire’s thick pies will be replaced by thin-crust pizzas and house-smoked barbecue when J Wild’s opens in late April, according to the press release. The new restaurant will also have a full, whiskey-centered bar.

Chicago Fire continues to operate in midtown Sacramento, the Palladio, Elk Grove and Roseville.

This story was originally published February 24, 2020 at 11:39 AM.