Rye in McKinney Closed After Catastrophic Fire [Update]

Rye in McKinney is closed indefinitely due to a fire that broke out at the restaurant on Monday, August 15. Located on the square in historic downtown, and part of the revitalization of the area, Rye has been a staple in the community since it opened at the end of 2015. Rye co-owner Tanner Agar broke the news on Instagram over the weekend that the restaurant “burned to the ground.” In the post, Agar stated that Rye’s only location, for the time being, will be in Dallas and that plans to rebuild Rye in McKinney are already underway.

“We won’t look quite the same; we might not have the same address. But we, as people, will be back,” Agar wrote. Speaking to Eater Dallas, Agar says the restaurant isn’t a total loss after the fire, but it’s still being assessed and the owners are unsure about the extent of the damage right now.

On a GoFundMe page for the restaurant, Agar wrote that no surrounding buildings or people were hurt but that due to extensive damage, the restaurant owners were told they should expect to be closed until 2023. The fundraiser has reached over $10,000 of its $25,000 goal at press time.

Agar told Eater Dallas that all the McKinney staff would remain with them and be moved to their Dallas location for the time being.

The restaurant posted a YouTube video showing photos of the restaurant’s fire-damaged interiors.

Agar also shared his path to becoming the co-owner and creative director of Rye on Instagram. “In 8th grade I read How to Run a Restaurant for Dummies and I decided to commit my life to being a restaurateur,” Agar wrote. “I got work visas for new countries, worked 80 hour weeks, and gave up everything to finally become one by opening Rye.”

Update: Tuesday, August 23, 2022: Updated with statements from Agar.