Food & Culture
Smith Tower Renovations Bring 1920s Flair
Smith Tower's makeover includes a new cocktail bar
By Haley Durslag July 26, 2016
This article originally appeared in the August 2016 issue of Seattle Magazine.
When the historic 1914 Smith Tower reopens its 35th-floor observation deck after a recent overhaul, a new 1920s, Prohibition-inspired eatery and bar will be unveiled. Will there be flappers, gin fizzes and jazz? The folks at Unico Properties, which bought the building in 2015, were tight-lipped on the details at press time. But with an interior designed by Graham Baba Architects, the firm behind posh downtown restaurant Miller’s Guild and Capitol Hill’s Melrose Market, it’s sure to honor its place in Seattle history.
“We are honored to enhance [Smith Tower’s] reputation as a premier city landmark,” says Scott Brucker, senior asset manager at Unico Properties. The redesigned space will offer an “unparalleled and fully immersive experience” that mixes the present with gems from the tower’s past, says Brucker, adding that elements from the Chinese Room, such as the Wishing Chair, will be incorporated. But be careful what you wish for, especially after imbibing a few of those cocktails—legend promises marriage within a year to any single woman who sits in the chair.
Join The Must List
Seattle's best events delivered to your inbox
Follow Us
Pastry: An Affair to Remember
Chef Ewald Notter of Dote Coffee Bar makes it easy to fall in love with pastry and chocolate
Most romances unfold in predictable ways. An invitation for lunch, where you share sandwiches in a loud café, silently wishing your bread was crisper, but never giving up on the idea that one day it might be. An awkward laugh as your fingers touch while you both reach across the table for sugar in that…
Mix It Up. Try old-school cocktails this holiday season
These 10 drinks may not be on the menu at your local bar, but all pack a punch as well as some colorful history
Editor’s note: A version of this story previously appeared in “Seattle” magazine. Impress your guests this holiday season with these 10 concoctions from a vintage bar guide from Glenn Shaw Creations – supposedly from the 1950s – found in an antique shop in Olympia a few years back. Keep in mind that these drinks may…
Sip, Slurp, Celebrate at Frank’s Oyster House
Let’s be Frank about Champagne
The best bubbles in Washington state may very well be found at an East Coast-style restaurant in Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood. That, at least, is the opinion of The Champagne Bureau, USA, which has named Frank’s Oyster House and Champagne Parlor as one of the top 10 bars and restaurants in the nation for the quality…
Seattle Buildings Just Let It Bee
There’s a buzz happening throughout the region
You know the Smith Tower as Seattle’s original skyscraper. You know that the 108-year-old, 38-floor tower was once the tallest building west of the Mississippi. You may not be aware that the 22nd floor is now home to an apiary containing a thriving colony of thousands of honeybees. It is one of several apiaries located…