Charlie’s Sports Bar & Grill has experienced a fair share of burglaries.
According to owner Dan Finley, the popular east Vancouver bar has been broken into multiple times over the past several years.
“They usually grab a bottle of booze, check the cash register and run out the door,” he said.
That wasn’t the case Monday morning. Instead, burglars used an ignitable liquid to light the establishment on fire before fleeing.
Vancouver police and fire crews were called about 4:20 a.m. to the bar at 3315 N.E. 112th Ave.
The damage was extensive. Nearly everything inside was destroyed, Finley said. He estimates the business will be closed for at least five months, and it will cost upwards of $200,000 to replace everything, including TVs, pool tables, insulation, tiles and more.
The Vancouver Fire Marshal’s Office and police are investigating. A fire investigator confirmed Friday that arson was involved.
Finley is offering a $5,000 reward for any tips that lead to an arrest or conviction. Additionally, fire officials are offering a $10,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest or conviction.
Anyone with information about the incident can call the fire marshal’s tip line at 360-409-9533.
Investigators have viewed all available surveillance footage from neighboring businesses, Lead Deputy Fire Marshal Cale Baker said. Technicians are working to restore surveillance footage from Charlie’s that was damaged by the business’s sprinkler system.
Available footage shows two suspects breaking into the south entrance and then leaving the building shortly after.
“The footage is blurry and dark and doesn’t show faces or features,” Baker said.
The destruction hits hard for Finley, because Charlie’s is where he and his wife met 33 years ago. In fact, Finley and his wife were in Tennessee for their anniversary when they heard about the fire.
“We had to cut it short and come home to this,” he said.
Finley said he will be able to weather the storm, and he’s mostly concerned about his 20 employees now in limbo.
Thankfully, donations have already been pouring in, he said.
“We will be doing fundraisers,” he added. “We haven’t even set up a GoFundMe yet, but people have already been calling and asking how they can help.”
Finley also owns Hooligan’s Sports Bar & Grill in central Vancouver, The Offramp Sports Bar & Grill in east Vancouver and Burgers & Beer Bar & Grill in Camas. He said customers at those restaurants have been offering donations.
“It’s fantastic,” he said. “I’ll be fine, but I want to make sure my staff is fine, too.”
