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Item
Title
A57103-10
Date(s)
- 1951-03-21 (Creation)
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Publicity photo for the opening of the Gay Nineties Room of Steve's (Gay '90s) Cafe at 5238 South Tacoma Way. Steve's was owned by John J. Stanley and Stephen O. Pease. The restaurant offered cocktails and American food served smorgasbord style for a nominal charge, with dining music and entertainment provided. This long shot of the "Gay Nineties" dining room shows the smorgasbord table on the right and booths on the left decorated to appear like "surreys with fringe on top." Checked table cloths and wagon wheel chandeliers complete the down home look. Steve's Gay '90s operated from 1950 to 1977 and was one of Tacoma's most popular night spots. It grew from a 20 person cafe to a huge complex that could seat up to 725 at a time. In the mid fifties, Steve's added to their unique treasure trove an actual cable car, converted to street driving, bought at auction in San Francisco and driven to Tacoma. The Cable Car Room then opened with replicas of Tacoma and San Francisco cable cars as booths in the cocktail lounge. The crowning gem was the Opera House, opened in a mid fifties expansion, furnished with antiques from the South Tacoma mansions and featuring a twice nightly floor show with can can girls, among other performers. (TNT 4/4/1951, pg. B6-B7)
Steve's Gay '90s (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1950-1960; Buffets (Cookery)--Tacoma--1950-1960;