A Storied History

Black and white photo of a corner hotel building with multiple cars parked in front, street signs, and utility poles.

Sitting at the crest of Virginia Street at 1st Avenue, The Virginia Inn has a long and colorful Skid Row history dating back to 1903. It was originally the saloon for the Hotel Livingston. When Pike Place Market opened in 1907, it was already established as a local watering hole and had taken on the official name by 1908.

The Virginia Inn witnessed Seattle’s early growth and many historical eras, including the Great Depression and the World Wars. It survived Prohibition by changing its name to the Virginia Soft Drink Parlor, but we’re guessing they were drinking something a bit stronger.

This photo depicts how the bar looked in the first decade of the last century. This photo was staged presumably to comment on the poor condition of the roads at the time.

Yes, it did used to be half the size…

Four people standing behind a bar, celebrating a grand opening. The person on the far left is wearing a beige cap and orange shirt, the second person is in a dark shirt, the third person is in a blue shirt, and the person on the far right is wearing glasses and a checkered shirt. There is a sign in the corner that reads 'Champagne To q T-Bird too'. Handwritten text at the bottom says 'Patrice and Jim announce their grand opening the evening of May 28th, 1981 Virginia Inn - First & Virginia'.

In 1981, Patrice Demombynes and Jim Fotheringham ushered the V.I. into its modern era. It became one of Seattle’s first art bars, featuring local artist’s work and becoming a favorite stop for concert-goers, creatives, and the grunge crowd in the 1990s.

Black and white photo of a three-story building with bay windows, a coffee club, a cafe, and an inn on the ground floor.

In 2008, Demombynes and Fotheringham expanded by taking over the neighboring space, and doubling the size of the restaurant.

Our Claim to Fame

The Virginia Inn was featured in the hit 1992 grunge film, “Singles,” directed by Cameron Crowe, and starring Matt Dillon and Kyra Sedgwick

A man and woman walking on a city street with buildings, cars, and pedestrians in the background. The man has dark hair and is wearing a brown jacket, while the woman has blonde hair and is wearing a dark coat.
A woman with curly hair and a man with dark hair sitting at a table in a café, with a window view of cars and people outside.
A man with curly hair and a woman with long hair are in a romantic pose in a restaurant. The woman is leaning in to kiss the man's cheek, and he has a surprised or intense expression. There are two glasses of red wine and a small vase with pink and white flowers on the table. In the background, a couple is sitting at another table near a brick wall.

Our iconic space was also featured in the press photos for the 1991 Gus Van Sant film, “My Own Private Idaho,” starring Rivers Phoenix and Keanu Reeves.

Three young people outside a building, one sitting on the ground leaning against the wall, two standing nearby, one looking at their phone, and another looking at the camera, with a window and brick wall in the background.
Four young people sitting around a table in a diner, two men and two women, with a window and street scene in the background.

To learn more about the history of the Virginia Inn, we suggest this article from Seattle Met.

The Livingston Baker Building Has Tales to Tell