Fun House Pizza & Pub's Independence location will serve its final customers on October 18, with dine-in and carryout service continuing right up until closing day. Owner Tina Rushton announced the closure, pointing to a yearlong legal battle over who owns the building as a key reason the restaurant can no longer stay open.
Rushton made the announcement on Facebook, according to KMBC. She cited the prolonged dispute over ownership of the building at 13002 E. U.S. Highway 40, where the restaurant has operated, as well as personal hardships she said contributed to the decision to shut down.
In her announcement, Rushton thanked her employees for keeping the restaurant running and thanked customers for years of support, the station reported. The closure brings an end to a restaurant known locally for its retro theme, including retro games, on-site fresh dough preparation and large brick ovens used for its pizzas, according to a description from Restaurantji.
A Kansas City Pizza Name Going Back to 1964
Fun House has deep roots in the Kansas City area. The brand says it has served the region since 1964, according to the company's own website, Fun House Pizza & Pub. That history traces back to Martie and Helen Graham, who founded the business in 1964 at 9120 E. Missouri Highway 350 in Raytown, per The Lumi Neon Museum.
That original Raytown location has its own closing chapter. The first and original Fun House closed its doors on December 29, 2017, according to the company's website. At the time, KMBC reported that Raytown's Fun House Pizza & Pub would close at the end of that month, with its owners saying they were ready to retire.
What Comes Next for the Independence Location
For now, the Independence restaurant remains open for dine-in and carryout through October 18, giving longtime regulars a final window to stop by before the doors close for good. Rushton's statement did not detail what led to the legal dispute over the building or specify the personal hardships she referenced, and those details remain unknown based on what has been reported so far.
What happens to the building or the Fun House brand in the Kansas City area after the Independence closure has not been addressed publicly. For now, the countdown stands at six days until the Highway 40 location serves its last slice.
