Who Wants to See Bimbo's Reborn?
This week the TNT ran an article summing up the history of Bimbo’s restaurant up to the quiet sale of the Bimbo’s name back to the family last November. Both the name of Bimbo’s and the famous sauces have been at the center of much speculation over the years. Recipes for the four sauces so many Tacoma old-timers remember so fondly remain locked up in a City of Tacoma safe.
The Bimbo’s name was City property too for several years after the city bought it, along with the recipes and the rest of what was left of the restaurant as part of an “acquisition in lieu of relocation” back in 2001 when plans for the Convention Center had it sited on Pacific Avenue. The City has held it since then, and the handful of efforts to do something with the name and/or recipes over the years never amounted to much.
Then, quietly (or at least we missed it), the City sold the Bimbo’s name back to Jerry Rossi, the great-nephew of the founder of Bimbo’s, and the business owner who originally made the acquisition deal with the City back in 2001. He paid $500 for the name. Rosi hasn’t stated any plans to reopen Bimbo’s, and there is some question over the recipes, but there are more than a few Tacomans who would like to see Bimbo’s, and its sauces live again. But where….?
We never made it to Bimbo’s. If you did, what do you remember of the place and the famous sauces?
Read more from The News Tribune.
Filed under: tacoma-business, Eating-Local
4 comments
F fredo June 28, 2012
The city never confirmed that the recipes they received from Bimbos were the AUTHENTIC recipes. They were just a bunch of handwritten and misspelled notes. When a city employee tried to test the “recipes” the results weren’t good. Back in 2001 why didn’t the city require the owner to prepare the recipes on video so we could confirm that the recipes being sold were authentic?
I don’t think the recipes we got were of any real value. It was sort of like a confidence swindle where you are instructed not to open the specially wrapped bundle of money until you get home.
The only thing the city got of value was the tradename BIMBOS. That should have been sold immediately at auction to the highest bidder and the unconfirmed recipes could have been included in the sale.
The city really botched this. They sold the item of highest value for $500 and all we have left is some worthless scribblings.
D David Boe June 28, 2012
If only I had named my daughter Bim…
T That Girl June 29, 2012
I never did get to eat at Bimbo’s, but I’d love the chance to try the famous sauces. I love the idea of seeing if they could be reproduced and bottled.
L Larry Zarelli June 29, 2012
It was a good sauce, but a little greasy…. but so are good burgers. Zarellis had a chicken sauce … that recipe is still in my mind and available to anyone wanting to open up a new bimbos.