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| Bill's Place, Yakima, WA |
Bill's Place is said to have been established in 1933, soon after prohibition, and to have been in the current building since 1943. I spoke with Steve, the current owner's son, who explained that the original building was in the current parking lot until a boiler explosion in 1942. For some reason the bar does not appear in Polk guides of the 30s in 40s that I have data for, and tax records indicate that the current building was constructed in 1948.
Today Bill's calls itself "Yakima's favorite dive bar," although it is less divey than it is a typical, contemporary, neighborhood bar, with 20 rotating brews on tap, sports on the TVs, a fairly standard pub menu, live music, and a simple but classic neon sign out front.
206 S 3rd Ave, Yakima, WA 98902 - (509) 575-9513
Est. 1943 (current building), 1933 - Building constructed: 1948
Web site:
billsplacetav.com -
facebook
Reviews:
yakimaherald -
yelp
2 comments:
My Great Grandpa use to live in an room around back as an apartment. His name was Jack Williams.
October 2020: they're going through renovations. Through the window, I saw construction workers.
The Sportsmen's center is historic, having been just renovated, but not open yet due to the current unpleasantness. Through the window, I saw an interior ready to reopen. Intact from my youth is the famous neon spinning sign. The hunter has his longarm up, tracking the birds in the sky shooting neon bullets, with his birddog at his side. They have a curio cabinet on US Justice William Douglas, Yakima's native -- though not necessarily favorite -- son.
West Valley Bar and Grill was the West Valley Tavern started in the 1940's next door, with the same owners since c1982. But this building goes back further as a tavern. Their customers are multi-generational, says Kristen the bartender. Beautiful knotty pine ceiling and beams.
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