The permit that launched a lot of flashing After. You kind of miss it now, don’t you!

There are three sides to every story: your side, my side, and the truth. And no one is lying. When it comes to how E Olive Way’s infamous flashing Amante’s pizza sign got turned off, there are a few sides to tell about the sudden darkening of the unfortunate “welcome to Capitol Hill” landmark.

Earlier this week, a neighbor tipped CHS and The Stranger to the sign finally going dark after seven years of flashing promotions at the intersection of Denny and E Olive Way. After a complaint was made this summer, a city inspector confirmed something you may have suspected — “Inspection confirmed violation of changing image frequency on sign for Amante Pizza.”

That was July. After another inspection in late August revealed the sign was still flashing away, suddenly Amante’s billboard went dark months later.

What happened?

“Amante Pizza is now under new ownership,” a spokesperson for the City of Seattle tells CHS. “We recently advised the new owner of the neighbor’s complaints and the history of our enforcement case on the flashing ‘video’ signage.”

If you’re keeping track of the latest Amante’s ownership changes, CHS reported that a man named George Kozhuharov took over the business from previous owner Vladimir Dimitrov in early 2015.

“The owner seemed very interested in being a good neighbor and voluntarily turned off the sign,” the city spokesperson tells CHS.

UPDATE: We get a lot of questions about “how do businesses like Amante’s stay open?” and “is it a front?” From the CHS comments below, you can see, yourself, there are plenty of customers. As for how the business is run, Amante’s is a franchise:

If you want a taste of success, only one business can satisfy it. Your own Amante Gourmet Pizza franchise. Join our team and you’ll be part of a $25 billion dollar a year business with no end in sight. The fact is, Americans love pizza. And this love affair is fueling an explosive growth in pizza consumption. While many people enjoy traditional toppings and old-time favorites, a fast –growing segment of pizza lovers want gourmet pizza. They like different selections, unique ingredients, uncompromisingly fresh toppings, and an endless array of choices.

Any more questions? :)