Airport Tavern
For decades South Tacoma Way has been silently and patiently waiting for things to come full circle. Prior to the I-5 and the Tacoma Mall scooping up all the attention the lengthy strip was home to the nightlife for Tacomans of the past, who saw those businesses and bars they love close down one after another due to diverted traffic. Historically this happens in Tacoma, one area rebuilds and the rest seems to be obsolete until they follow suit. A once very neon and bustling downtown suffered from something similar. But following suit isn’t so easy for most small businesses and without a cult following of regulars the ‘phase out’ happens faster than expected. But prior to the pandemic Tacoma was in a new stage of growth that shined a light on revitalization of our business districts as much as exploration into new territories or those that had been underused. And a man ahead of the curve as he has proven so many times before, Danno Rankin, saw that very early on. Like most of South Tacoma Way at that time, with the exception of a few key players, the Airport Tavern was on its way there before he had the foresight to remodel and bring it back to life. Danno did everything under the sun at Jazzbones for a long time including booking all the talent, so his resume and expertise speak for itself when it comes to understanding what Tacoma wants from a venue. His answer was providing the best of both worlds, Tacoma’s love for dives with his booking abilities creating a bar/venue. While it does tend to cater towards rock bands, Airport Tavern and Danno have a huge hand in putting on Reggae on The Way, a block party style reggae fest that in the past has shut down the main retail strip of South Tacoma Way. It has now outgrown that setting and is being held at LEMAY. His ability to revitalize has been impressive.
The current Airport Tavern looks just like the old Airport Tavern; he really did a great job at giving the place a facelift while preserving the integrity of the establishment that opened way back in 2004. A fresh coat of paint changed the faded baby blue to a bold but not bright red with navy trim, the window framing was updated to this era, the neon sign was painted and restored to its glory. The other two random “tavern” signs were removed and an added outdoor guardrail to both sides of the entrance with bar shelving attached for your pint. Pinball in Tacoma has a community of its own and Danno expanded their reach by adding another place to play. When you enter Airport Tavern you’re greeted by seven pinball machines to your left, seating and a few arcade games to your right. The bar has classic mirrored shelving and a straight forward selection that has all the hits. A personal favorite interior feature is a wood bench with the prettiest grain that runs the length of the far wall stopping just before the billiards table and digital jukebox. Just past that you can see into the kitchen and into the venue space at the end of the building. Every part of the space is used effectively. In an effort to cover all the bases and check all the boxes Danno put together a dynamic bar menu. They offer sandwiches, nachos, tacos, bar bites (pretzels, wings, sliders) and 10” pizza that has become popular via word of mouth and Internet reviews. I recommend getting the I Know Danno.
In my experiences at Airport Tavern it’s perfect for every setting. Enjoying it during the opening hours it's a nice and quiet workspace. You can sip your beer slowly and order lunch when you get tired of squinting at the computer screen. Despite what the mall goers have done to traffic the 48th-56th blocks of South Tacoma Way is still centrally located and a great place to dwindle time if you happen to be in between meetings. One of my first experiences at Airport Tavern was for a show. The venue space was the perfect size for the performances and the sound is surprisingly good for being segmented from the rest of the space. And the staff is always friendly and accommodating to our large parties in the evening. After getting through the worst of the pandemic (2020-2021) it’s evident Airport Tavern has a lot of future in front of it.
Address:
5406 S Tacoma Way
Tacoma, WA 98409
Hours:
Monday Closed
Tuesday 4 PM–12 AM
Wednesday 4 PM–12 AM
Thursday 4 PM–12 AM
Friday 4 PM–2 AM
Saturday 4 PM–2 AM
Sunday 4 PM–12 AM
More from Almanac
Make It To The Show: Home In Tacoma For All
Home In Tacoma For All | Thursday, Dec. 8Housing is a human right. Can we start with that? If we can, then we can move on to the myriad ways in which this right is distorted and kept from the vulnerable people who need it. Home in Tacoma is an organization that is working to address this in the face of opposition that seems to view those without access to housing as – without failure – drug addicts and violent criminals.The problem is that housing has become an asset that has been priced out of the attainability of all but the most fortunate citizens. As Home in Tacoma have reported, Tacoma’s average rent saw a nearly 40% increase from March of 2021 to March of 2022, meaning that so many people have had to resort to treading water by sleeping in cars, motel rooms, or tents. As we enter the cold months of Tacoma, it’s heartbreaking to consider how many people are being left out to fend for themselves, and the cruel mindset that keeps them that way.In an effort to provide some sort of relief, ALMA is hosting Home in Tacoma for their “Home in Tacoma For All'' show, featuring some amazing acts that showcase a pretty wide swath of Tacoma’s artistic expression.
Umi Wagoner’s Tacoma: Shed Studios - The Passion of Practice
Timing is so crucial to starting a business and any sustainable small business owner will vouch for that. But it’s not just timing of course, your entry into the market needs to be impressive as well. Shed Studios has both and it’s been working for them ever since. It also has the golden ticket, location, on the corner of Opera Alley in the 705 Court C building so there’s decent parking and depending on the time you’re surrounded by food and entertainment.
Umi’s Corner Tacoma: Boys and Berries, Fruits and Veggies
When people outside of Washington state picture it in their minds they see forest for miles, pretty lakes, raging rivers, wilderness trails, farms and country. Those ideals are usually followed with images of fresh markets and farm to table meat by the pound from persons who are masters of agriculture and livestock. It’s one of the more romanticized versions of living in the Evergreen state and it’s not completely inaccurate. But it doesn’t encompass the entire picture and that lifestyle is few and far between in the Western half of the state. The glimpses you do get remind you how lucky we are to have such a blended mix of town and country for retailers and markets like the Tacoma Boys.
Make It To The Show: Ruckus in Tacoma - Summer Smoke Out
SATURDAY JULY 8th at THE VALLEYThe Valley has quietly (and, frequently, not-so-quietly) become one of the most reliable music venues in Tacoma, thanks in large part to the eclectic stream of bands that come through its doors. At its heart, though, the Valley is most suited to bringing in the kind of barroom bands that fit the venue’s classic Tacoma aesthetic – which will surely be represented when PNW record label Ruckus In The Boonies presents the Summer Smoke Out. Along with barbecue and vendors, the Summer Smoke Out will feature a cavalcade of bands; at the time of this writing, there are 10 in total, perfect for partying throughout the humid day and into the night.Valley regulars like Stoned Evergreen Travelers, Old Dirty Buzzards, Ghost Train Trio, and James Hunnicut are just some of the acts that will be performing, but the event is unofficially a celebration of the Pine Box Boys and their 20th anniversary. The San Francisco-based outfit has been practicing doom-laden, murder-obsessed alt-country for two decades, honing their craft to a razor-sharp edge. Few modern country acts have the same flair for storytelling that the Pine Box Boys have, spinning blood-drenched yarns packed with a kind of charismatic foreboding. With nine other bands performing – most of whom also make their homes at the intersection of country, rock, and punk – and the sweet smell of barbecue smoke perfuming the air, the Summer Smoke Out seems like the perfect way to kick the hot months off in style.SATURDAY JULY 8thThe Valley:Summer Smoke Out, w/ the Pine Box Boys, Old Dirty Buzzards, Stoned Evergreen Travelers, James Hunnicutt, Blood Fire & Rainwater, Ghost Train Trio, Emery Villains, The Selfish Bastard, Yotes, The Hoods Open Mic Challenge with Billy HoodDoors at 4pm, $151206 Puyallup Aveinstagram.com/ruckusintheboonies