Fifty Licks, an ice cream parlor located in Portland’s Buckman neighborhood, faced significant damage from a fire on Friday morning, rendering the shop temporarily out of service.
Owner Chad Draizin expressed the challenges of the day, stating, “I’ve had some tears today; it’s been a tough day.”
Portland Fire & Rescue reported the fire at the two-story building situated at East Burnside Street and Southeast 28th just before 8 a.m. The agency extinguished the fire in the basement, with smoke emerging through the roofline. Crews concluded their operations about an hour later.
Fifty Licks took to Instagram to share news of the damage, reassuring that no injuries were reported but acknowledging the severity of the situation. Firefighters assisted store staff in swiftly relocating ice cream tubs from the store to the awaiting Fifty Licks truck through a “bucket brigade.”
Established in 2009, Fifty Licks started as a local ice cream company offering made-from-scratch products from a truck. Over time, it expanded to include the Burnside shop and two other brick-and-mortar locations.
Draizin highlighted the significance of the East Burnside location, noting its busiest nature and lamenting the unfortunate timing of the fire, coinciding with the onset of summer and the year’s first hot day.
Adjacent businesses, including Cream Salon, also faced repercussions from the fire. Nicole Martinez, the salon’s owner, launched a GoFundMe campaign to aid in rebuilding efforts.
Residents of the six upstairs apartments, like Kenz Wilkerson, were displaced by the incident. Wilkerson expressed gratitude for the community’s support amidst the adversity.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
