GIG HARBOR, Wash. — "One of our most famous taglines is 'where friends meet friends" and I really think that says it all," said Dylan Stanley, owner of Tides Tavern.
For years Tides Tavern has been the place for Gig Harbor locals to gather. Where friendly servers with nimble feet carry trays full of food to noisy outdoor decks while bartenders shake things up to help welcome in the weekend.
"The vibe really is the people here," Stanley said. "I've got people that have been here 25 years. We have a ton of people who've been here 10 years."
But Stanley says for the true story of Tides Tavern you have to go back at least 50 years when his dad Peter Stanley was looking to open a bar somewhere.
"Somebody mentioned Three Fingered Jack's Tides Tavern in Gig Harbor might be coming on the market so my dad came out to check it out and it was falling in the water, in a state of disrepair," Stanley said. "You could see through the floors in some places down to the water and the docks were sinking."
But Peter Stanley had a vision.
"He wanted a warmer and more fun place to be," Stanley said.
Peter Stanley had friends and hundreds of employees who helped turn the derelict building into the gathering space it is today. A busy and bustling tavern with no shortage of good food and good vibes. The son is keeping his dad's vision alive.
"You can leave all your baggage at the door. Doesn't matter who you are," Stanley said. " Just leave it at the door, come on in and we will treat you great."
Tides Tavern is located on Harborview Drive in Gig Harbor. It is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the week. Because it is a tavern, customers must be 21 and over to enter.
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