Saturday, April 2, 2011

Sign of the times

A few nights ago I was out with some friends on 12th Avenue up on Capitol Hill. As we came to the corner of 12th & Union something caught my eye through the window of what is now High Five Pies. It was so instantly familiar to me - the dented green can, the unique shape, the weathered lettering -  but altered just enough to suit this new business' needs. In 1955, my grandfather, Spiro Diamond Nicon (the original Spin) opened a tavern on 3rd & James across from the King County Court House. He ran the bar until 1965, and then sold his share to his partner who kept it going until 2000 or so. For almost half a century, the once neon-lit sign hovered above the corner, becoming an iconic landmark for the full spectrum of downtown passersby. The name of that establishment was Spin's Friendly Tavern. The folks that brought you Fuel coffee - and now pies - took something old and made it new again. I'll have to find out if they know this little slice of Seattle history....