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Sometimes, the musicians would wear costumes from the 1890s but would perform music that was from a much more modern era, resulting in a clashing and confusing combination. One can imagine the challenge that came with maintaining the theme with the musicians’ performances. The restaurant supported and featured many up-and-coming artists from all different types of genres such as jazz, rock, and country. Powers and Leverenz were not the only performers at Steve’s. Leverenz was the “featured song stylist of Gay 90’s music.” During their performances, these two would wear 1890’s styled costumes. Powers entertained dining guests with music during dinner hours.
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At the center of the stage is where nightly performers for the restaurant, Jane Powers and Arnold Leverenz performed on the Hammond Organ.
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The hand painted signs that surrounded the stage were made by a South Tacoma artist by the name of Bill Knabel who had also done curtain advertising work for other musical venues such as the Pantages and Grand theatres. The mural behind the buffet table in both Figure 4 and 5 depicts the local surrounding 1951 businesses in a “Gay Nineties” setting including Jordan Bakery and Pantex Cleaners.įound in Figure 6 is an image of the stage area where most of the performances took place. At the time, the lunch only costed around $1. and matched their theme through similarities to the Nineties “free lunch” concept. The smorgasbord was featured every day of the week and was open from 12 noon to 9 p.m. So, guests could enjoy a dazzling live performance with a cocktail in hand paired with the American style food that was served on a smorgasbord. (Figure 3 and 6) The restaurant also offered music from a Hammond organ, dining, dancing, and employees dressed in 1890s costumes. One of the main aspects that made this place so distinct from the rest was their aesthetic which aimed to look like the 90s, not the 1990s but the 1890s! The décor captured this theme brilliantly with the booths decorated to appear as “surreys with fringe on top” covered over with checkered pattern tablecloths and wagon wheel chandeliers hanging overhead. The cable car brought more popularity for Steve’s and guests were able to purchase post cards with images of this cable car next to the restaurant to save or send off to loved ones. During the mid-fifties, Steve’s bought a legitimate cable car from a San Francisco auction that was able to drive on the streets. This venue became a tourist attraction and popular hangout during the 1950s-60s as it was most known for its live music and dancing. As years went on, they bought the area surrounding the original restaurant and remodeled it to become part of Steve’s.
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Stanley was in charge of running the restaurant area while Pease ran the lounge. As a result, he partnered up with another business owner by the name of John Stanley who had owned a coffee shop next door. In 1949, the liquor-by-the-drink legislation was implemented by the government, and Pease realized that he needed to open up a restaurant in order to obtain a liquor license. After two years had passed, he bought out all of her interests in the building and was the sole owner. John Martinolich, of the shipbuilding family, to open up a business called “Steve’s Tavern” on 5238-40 South Tacoma Way. In its prime it had huge neon signs that pointed the way to “South Tacoma’s newest dining hot spot” and could hold around 700 people in the building itself! (Figure 1) So, let us go back and examine how this whimsical establishment called Steve’s Gay ‘90s dazzled the music scene of South Tacoma Way during the 1900s. In fact, in this exact building lies what used to be Steve’s Gay ‘90s Bar, a popular restaurant and music venue that hosted many great performers. (Figure 2) To an individual who may not know much about this building’s history, the first glance of the outer appearance may seem bleak under the overcast clouds, depressing, lonely, and nearing the end of its time. In 2018, huddled in the dusty dilapidated corner of a slowly deteriorating building on South Tacoma Way lies the recently closed down restaurant of what used to be called, “Ah Badabing Pizzeria” right next to a quaint little Subway sandwich shop.