Exit133

November 17, 2015 · Exit133

Work Begins on McMenamins' Tacoma Elks Lodge

The day that some in Tacoma thought would never come has actually come: McMenamins chose this wet and blustery week to begin work on its long-anticipated renovation of Tacoma's historic Elks Lodge.

It's just small stuff for now, but The News Tribune reports that we can expect to see the Portland-based company get into the project in earnest next spring.

In a video posted on YouTube, the McMenamin brothers and others talk about the direction McMenamins is taking as a whole, and the potential they see in the Elks Lodge - and in Tacoma.

We've heard a bit about the plans in the past, but new details are always fun.

  • 46 hotel rooms
  • 3 restaurants
  • Small bars and on-site brewery
  • Live music
  • Rooftop garden
  • Meeting and event space

The plan is to have the Elks building open and serving by summer 2017. We'll be waiting. Eagerly...

P.S. If you've got at least $150,000 lying around that you've been wondering what to do with, you can be an investor in the Elks project. Learn more at elkstempleproperties.com.

Filed under: Downtown Tacoma, Neighborhoods, Stadium, Tacoma Landmarks, McMenamins Elks Project, Elks Lodge

7 comments

  • rankler November 17, 2015

    This would be so much more exciting if their food and alcohol were better. The restorations that McMenamin's does are often amazing, but their food is Applebee's quality, their beer is mediocre, and their wine is abysmal.

    • DeeBee Cooper November 17, 2015

      I love Tacoma! We are such a tough crowd.

    • Jesse November 18, 2015

      If you've ever been to a McMenamins, their regular bar food is really good but not great - It's not top tier, I'll give you that. But, when you have a location like the Elks, that holds several restaurants, some of them can be top notch. Here's a link to McMenamins Black Rabbit restaurant dinner menu at their Edgefield location. It's wonderful food and a great atmosphere. Top tier all the way. http://www.mcmenamins.com/system/uploads/assets/Menus/Edgefield/BRRdinner.pdf

  • JDHasty November 17, 2015

    There are reasons that the McMenamins are having to go to the internet w/hat in hand to secure "non-conventional" financing. McMenamins is little more than a gussied up Red Robin or Mitzels. That plus the brewpub as destination shtick is quite long in the tooth at this point, in fact it is about a decade past currency. At this point in history what these two shysters business model revolves around is getting the taxpaying public, through their elected officials, to underwrite their business ventures.

    • Xeno November 18, 2015

      Thumbs up if you think JD's shtick is long in the tooth.

  • Jesse November 18, 2015

    Note that the video talked about the ballroom having "cabins" to stay in instead of being built out as hotel rooms like originally planned. I would assume that they want to restore the ballroom to original so that their larger capacity hotel at Old City Hall can accommodate these people when it opens as a McMenamins and the ballroom at the Elks can turn into a major music venue like the Crystal Ballroom in Portland. I have seen first hand what these guys can do with a neighborhood. They have a very successful history of making great things happen - it's all very exciting and... "short in the tooth." Be excited!

  • linda morrison December 14, 2015

    Having a retail biz on Broadway I can tell you I am over the moon.