Popular burger restaurant DeLong’s Deluxe has closed permanently

In December, the owners of DeLong’s Deluxe, the walk-up burger restaurant in Lakewood, announced on the restaurant’s Facebook page it would temporarily close through March 2019.

This month, that closure turned permanent for the restaurant at 8901 Bridgeport Way SW.

“After some long gut wrenching and tearful discussions with family we have decided to close DeLong’s and pursue a new experience in life,“ wrote Tim and Marie DeLong in a Facebook post announcing their decision to close.

“This was not an easy decision as we loved our family business and providing our customers with an alternative experience and good old fashioned quality food and service.”

They added, “We will forever remember all the new friends we met and all your smiling faces. Again, we want to thank all of you for your support and friendship over the past six years.”

In January, Marie DeLong said by phone that the family struggled with the idea of putting the business up for sale. They had hoped that somebody in their family would take it over.

“We wanted to do some succession planning,” said DeLong. However, “We don’t believe we have a successor in our family.”

What happens next for the space is uncertain. What is certain is that the DeLongs won’t be running it as a burger restaurant. She said the work was hard on their bodies and spirits, and the profit margins weren’t as high as hoped.

“Tim and I are in our 60s,” said DeLong. “I wish we had opened this business in our 40s. We wish we had the energy to stay open late. We didn’t. We opened it in our 50s, and I’m 60 now and he’s 62. You don’t expect the physical requirements to change, but they do.”

They opened the restaurant in 2013. It was a second career for both. Marie had retired from the Washington State History Museum. Tim retired from a 25-year job with Tacoma Public Works.

The concept and food were quite similar to old-fashioned drive-in burger spots such as Fife’s Pick-Quick. It’s no surprise that Marie grew up eating at Pick-Quick. Her grandma’s house was within walking distance.

Imagine her astonishment when she wound up later in life becoming a neighbor of one of the members of the Burgi family, the owners of Pick-Quick.

Like Pick-Quick, DeLong’s Deluxe served burgers made from fresh, never frozen, beef. The extra touches were appreciated, such as serving cheeseburgers with Tillamook cheddar, and the crunchy breaded onion rings. The restaurant also served fries, shakes and a few other specialties. In 2015, the restaurant earned a spot on The News Tribune’s top 10 cheeseburgers in Pierce County list.

This story was originally published February 15, 2019 at 2:00 PM.