Coffee culture is continuing to grow in Tacoma and it continues to be exciting to have options. Tacoma hasn’t always been a place with variety as a priority; it’s more of an oldie but goodie place. The more of the market place independents take up the less need for chains like Starbucks and far less market potential for them to poach. I’m not saying we don’t need them but more us and less them should always be the goal. Although keeping in mind there may be some Tacomans who own franchises and those should be the ones most frequented. There is a lot of charm and tradition built into our businesses. But as of late (the last 5 years) we are starting to see the rumblings of progress. Slowly more independent coffee experiences are developing throughout Tacoma and that’s bringing Tacomans into neighborhoods they haven’t traditionally frequented. It’s great businesses that often create cross pollination within cities. An area may feel out of the way until you have a reason to go. And Old Town Tacoma hasn’t been injected with something new in a while. Space is a major part of the issue, there’s only room for about 4 businesses on the little strip of N 30th anyway, but it’s prime real estate and holds significant historical value. The space they occupy was once completely owned by the Spar, one side was the Spar cafe while the other catered to the Spar bar. During my early years of college living elsewhere and coming home to the Spar felt like the most authentic part of Tacoma, the Old Town history and proximity to downtown via Schuster Way offered a level of convenience to the Waterfront prior to its developments and my version of nightlife simultaneously.

The Lucky Silver Tavern has new owners!! It’s beautiful to see a classic reinvigorated instead of resurrected after being closed for months or even years before someone has the guts, business acumen or blind passion to save a piece of history. For many millennials the Lucky Silver has been roadside scenery, just another bar from the old guard of Tacoma and the South Tacoma Way heyday. If you didn’t have a family member that once frequented or still frequents then you may not have a reason to pop in other than having a heavy case of curiosity. But the Lucky Silver has been a hub and port in a storm to a crowd of Tacomans for 50+ years. It was even featured on a King 5 segment: 5 Star Dive Bars in 2019 surely in an effort to bolster local businesses as the pandemic and COVID regulations were active. The bar itself was built in the 1940s and the original signage, that still exists today, was already there when former owner Kathy Carr’s parents purchased the bar way back when.

SATURDAY JULY 8th at THE VALLEYThe Valley has quietly (and, frequently, not-so-quietly) become one of the most reliable music venues in Tacoma, thanks in large part to the eclectic stream of bands that come through its doors. At its heart, though, the Valley is most suited to bringing in the kind of barroom bands that fit the venue’s classic Tacoma aesthetic – which will surely be represented when PNW record label Ruckus In The Boonies presents the Summer Smoke Out. Along with barbecue and vendors, the Summer Smoke Out will feature a cavalcade of bands; at the time of this writing, there are 10 in total, perfect for partying throughout the humid day and into the night.Valley regulars like Stoned Evergreen Travelers, Old Dirty Buzzards, Ghost Train Trio, and James Hunnicut are just some of the acts that will be performing, but the event is unofficially a celebration of the Pine Box Boys and their 20th anniversary. The San Francisco-based outfit has been practicing doom-laden, murder-obsessed alt-country for two decades, honing their craft to a razor-sharp edge. Few modern country acts have the same flair for storytelling that the Pine Box Boys have, spinning blood-drenched yarns packed with a kind of charismatic foreboding. With nine other bands performing – most of whom also make their homes at the intersection of country, rock, and punk – and the sweet smell of barbecue smoke perfuming the air, the Summer Smoke Out seems like the perfect way to kick the hot months off in style.SATURDAY JULY 8thThe Valley:Summer Smoke Out, w/ the Pine Box Boys, Old Dirty Buzzards, Stoned Evergreen Travelers, James Hunnicutt, Blood Fire & Rainwater, Ghost Train Trio, Emery Villains, The Selfish Bastard, Yotes, The Hoods Open Mic Challenge with Billy HoodDoors at 4pm, $151206 Puyallup Aveinstagram.com/ruckusintheboonies

Someday, there will be proper studies done to explore the effect that a certain global pandemic had on creative processes. Anecdotally, through conversations and interviews over the past few years, I’ve heard artists report everything from a complete inability to create, to others claiming that they’ve never been more productive with their art. For those who were able to avoid writers’ block, though, one thing seems to be a constant: projects that might’ve otherwise never seen the light of day were given the chance to blossom in these times.This is certainly the case with Small Paul, a band that came together in a Seattle basement, formed with members of the Moondoggies, Chris King and the Gutterballs, and All Star Opera, towards the beginning of the pandemic. Rather than reflect any of the anxiety that has permeated the past few years, Small Paul carries with a warm, harmonic twang that recalls the ‘70s intersection of country and rock, a sound both laidback and soulful. Their debut EP, Strangeland, feels at times like a balm to protect against the stressors of the modern world. This is especially felt on album standout “Mexico,” with its vibes of golden hour, of a sun peacefully disappearing behind a horizon, and untold adventures waiting in the future.Small Paul’s debut LP, Come Alive & Live Again, is due to be released at the end of July – hopefully supplying the perfect soundtrack for another summer in the unknown.ALMA RooftopFriday, July 14thSmall Paul, w/ Salt Lick, RestrospecterAll Ages, Doors at 6pm, Show at 7pm, $15Tickets instagram