Maybe they’re not asking to borrow a cup of sugar from each other, but the Firehouse American Eatery + Lounge and its next-door neighbor, Pacific Beach Fire Station 21, have a unique relationship. Helping one another is the norm in their neighborhood, located in the 700 block of Grand Avenue in Pacific Beach. Occasionally, the station’s firefighters have even been known to cut the locks on bicycles for their owners when restaurant employees and their customers have forgotten the combinations. Sitting empty for several years after its predecessor Firehouse Beach Cafe closed its doors, the current Firehouse building was in disarray until owner Matthew Spencer transformed the eyesore into a two-level restaurant and bar that sports a rooftop patio and ocean view. “I had visited the cafe during my teenage years,” said Spencer. “Since it was known for its breakfast, we tried to pay homage to the locals by giving Firehouse a very American feel and putting an emphasis on our breakfast.” Capt. Mike Johnson of Fire Station 21 said he was excited to hear their neighboring building was going to be revitalized, helping to keep some of the local riffraff out of the area. Johnson and Spencer quickly became friends, and Johnson’s two daughters have both been employed as hostesses at Firehouse. With Johnson’s family constantly dining at the restaurant, it was a natural progression when “Captain Mike’s Pasta” was added to one of the early menus. “From the owner to the busboys at Firehouse,” said Johnson, “they’re all great people.” Firehouse offers a 25 percent discount to all local firefighters and lifeguards. The restaurant previously served beer from the now defunct Firehouse Brewing Company, founded by third-generation firefighters, and inspired by the events of Sept. 11, 2001. The brewery donated a portion of the proceeds to support local firefighter widow and orphan funds, and to local fire departments to help finance safety equipment. Firehouse and the fire station have collaborated on fundraisers, including a celebrity bartender evening with firefighters tending bar, and will soon hold a fundraiser where competing chefs from Firehouse and the fire station will be challenged in a head-to-head cooking competition. These events typically benefit firefighters who lost their homes during the Witch Creek-Guejito fires in 2007 (triggering the largest evacuation in county history). A family-friendly business, Firehouse offers free souvenir toys to children, who many times finish their meals at the restaurant and peer inside the doors of the fire station, excited to have their photo taken alongside firefighters. Firehouse has used photos of the fire station in some of its advertisements, and has recently added a new art installation that lists the names of Fire Station 21’s three division members. Staying true to its name, the interior of Firehouse is authentically adorned with fire hoses and integrates a color palette of red, black, chrome and wood tones. The building’s tables and wall paneling were made using recycled wood from San Diego Urban Timber out of locally harvested material. For more information, visit www.firehousepb.com.
