Old Town’s Neighborhood Tavern Since 1917
Good food, fair prices and a friendly room. For more than a century, the Spar has been a gathering place in Old Town Tacoma, and that tradition is still what we’re about.
Old Town Roots
Where Tacoma Began
Long before the Spar, this shoreline was home to Native peoples for thousands of years. Vancouver’s 1792 expedition named Commencement Bay, and Job Carr’s 1864 settlement at Shuballup grew into Old Tacoma. Mills, shipyards and the smelter brought immigrants, boarding houses and plenty of saloons. Some of them were rowdy enough to make the 1906 papers for poker played in the street.
The Building’s Story
From Men’s Store to Local Landmark
- 1913: The David Building is built. The Radonich brothers run it as a men’s store, billiard parlor and soft-drink stand during Prohibition.
- 1933: Prohibition ends, and the space becomes a restaurant and tavern.
- 1988: Kathy Manke and Suzanne Simchuk remodel it into the Spar you know.
The Family Years
Kathy’s family carried it into the 21st century, building its reputation for good food at fair prices in a friendly atmosphere.
