BUFFALO, N.Y. — The 'Old Pink' an Allen Street bar and grill in the City of Buffalo was put out by fire crews as of 5:45 a.m. on Monday morning.
2 On Your Side was at the scene while firefighters battled the blaze. Buffalo fire officials say that firefighters were unable to go inside the building because of how dangerous the flames were. There were no people reported inside or injured.
It is being reported that the two alarm fire had started outside of the building and soon after spread to the inside.
Investigators say they are still investigating the cause of the fire. An emergency demolition of the building has been determined by the City.
Buffalo Police officials have reported that damages are estimated at $1.25M so far. There were also a number of nearby streets affected during the time that the fire was being put out. A few side streets near Allen St. remain closed at this time.
The Old Pink has a long history on the bar scene in Buffalo, known for great music and their legendary steak sandwiches and bologna sandwich.
The longtime bar has had plenty of previous names, starting out with Jimmie Oates Pub, in the 70's it was called Birdie's 19th Hole, and in 1983 Mark Supples rented the bar from the Brinkworth family and opened the Pink Flamingo, which would in time be shortened to 'The Pink'. The bar is currently owned and operated by Molly Brinkworth.
"It seems as the world changed, the Pink stayed the same and at times people really hold on to that nostalgia and those memories that they built here in the Allentown neighborhood and at The Pink," said Buffalo Councilmember Mitch Nowakowski, who represents the Allentown district.
Many Western New Yorkers have fond memories of the bar over the years.
"This bar was an icon. Not just for this neighborhood, but for all of WNY. One of my staffers met her husband there. I'm having some plumbing done at my house and he's from Holland, NY, but he had met his wife here," says New York State Sentator Sean Ryan. "I've been through... almost all my stages of adulthood were in The Pink. I was probably in here before I was supposed to be in here and I would go away but this was the place... I'm going to miss it."
We will continue to update this story and provide more details once they become available.
A GoFundMe has been created to help the Old Pink's owner, and staff navigate the sudden loss of the business. To learn more or donate click here.
In a social media post attached below, the Old Pink wrote "Thankyou for all for the love and support." they also invited those patrons who loved the iconic Buffalo dive bar to stop by the site today while the building gets torn down to "mourn" with them.
