(WCN photo: Matt O’Toole, Mason Reed and Elvis)

By Tracy Record
White Center Now Editor

The transformation of the White Center’s ex-Drunky Two Shoes into the new Tim’s Tavern is about halfway done.

The co-owners consider that Matt O’Toole and Mason Reedwho sat down to talk with us this week, a month after announcing they were taking over 9655 16th SW.

They plan to open on March 31st. But first, the rest of the transformation. If you ever went to Drunky’s, you might remember the taxidermy. All gone (although the salmon above the front door may remain). Since Tim’s is all about music, they plan to fill the venue with history and memories, new and old. And they will continue to add to it.

What makes them especially dizzying is the extra space. The original Tim’s Tavern, which closed a year and a half ago in Greenwood, was only 1,000 square feet, they explain. Now they have so much space they’re planning two music stages—back with the Airstream bar (which remains), inside a room called the “Jesus Room”—the new decor will be a “shrine to Seattle music history,” and it will be for acoustic acts, open mics, weekly trivia (Wednesday nights).

Inside, they’ll have the sign that previously hung outside their Greenwood location; all new signage is planned outside, coming soon, so part of the transformation is close as well.

So why White Center? They explain that it took nearly two years to find a site that worked — big enough, not close enough to housing to “piss off the neighbors” — but in the end it turned out to be a place they wanted to model Tim’s Tavern after anyway. Coming out of COVID, they explain, they thought outdoor space would be important, so they kept telling their realtor to look for a place “like Drunky’s.” Mason marvels: “This was our model – then it became available!” (It closed rather quietly in late January; Tim’s team says the former owners are focusing on an establishment in Spokane.) Matt adds, “We’re going to put a lot of love into this place.”

They’ll have music seven nights a week, counting open mics on Mondays, with hours expected to be 2 to midnight to begin with, then hope to shift that earlier to lunch by June — the White Center has limited lunch options, they note . Once the lunch is launched, they go to weekend brunch, “with a bit of entertainment”. And yes, Tims will be all ages, except for some 21+ shows outside. So what kind of food will they serve? Mason is responsible for that, with a resume that includes gigs as a “backstage chef” for music stars. “Fun bar food, Northwest pub” is the style, he suggests, later adding that vegan and gluten-free options will also be available. They will even have a separate gluten free fryer. Beverages? “Full wine list, full beer list, some slushies,” and a selection of non-alcoholic cocktails too. They promise it will all be “high quality (with) exceptional service” – Mason has been in the restaurant business for 30 years.

We tried to bait them into revealing what’s in store for the opening weekend’s music lineup, but they’re not ready to make the announcements. They say they plan to order local favorites, and mention it Billy Joe and the Dusty 45s, for one, will be there every month or so. And their longtime reputation was as an “incubator,” meaning rising stars are likely to be in the mix. So look out for news on the music roundup later this month. Until then, as they continue to “transform” their new space, they are impressed with the “good vibe” at the White Center and how welcoming they say everyone has been so far. They observe that the people of White Center are “very proud” of their community, and they hope to be part of the reason for that pride soon.

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