Well, that didn’t last long. The tavern building at 312 Naval Avenue, most recently known as the Pour House, has been in existence since 1927, according to county records. But when the bar’s owners closed the long-running drinking hole last August, it faced an uncertain future.
Todd and Lisa Arnold were ready to step in, though. The owners of Papa’s Eats, Treats and Spirits in the Perry Avenue Mall had been eyeing the place for some time. Last Friday, following permit approvals from the city and the state’s liquor control board, the bar once known as the Blue Jacket and Red Rooster was open again.
This time it will be known as “Mama’s Mess Deck,” to complement their eastside establishment. The sign’s on order, Lisa Arnold said.
The Arnolds have owned Papa’s for four years. Todd works at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Lisa, who once worked at Washington Mutual before the big crash, is now bar-tending and running the locations. They have put in a fair share of upgrades, to include new security cameras, better lighting and lots of cleanup.
They know that they’ll probably get a number of patrons as they spill out of the shipyard. But Lisa Arnold would like to give the place a comfortable feel where locals congregate. They plan to hold pool tournaments and have a loyalty program to boot.
“I would like to get it back to being more of a neighborhood style bar,” Lisa Arnold said.
Can’t wait,
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
And they’re always glad you came;
You want to be where you can see,
Our troubles are all the same;