I wonder if Magoo’s was empty last night.

Longtime Magoo’s bartender Jaime Kay Newton and Jason J. Jones opened their Top of Tacoma Bar last night to a who’s who in the Tacoma nightlife scene including many Magoo’s regulars and all the Weekly Volcano columnists.

Their first customer ever snuck in early, around 4:45 p.m., and ordered a Blue Moon.  It was delicious.

I poked my nose around the joint before the masses hit.  The atrocious ‘70s carpet, pressboard and free-standing toilet of the former tenant has been replaced with a mahogany bar, two pinball games, one pool table, a golden tee golf game, four televisions, jukebox, the only telephone booth in a Tacoma bar (right?), blown glass toy top lighting fixtures and local photography of Tacoma including many punk rock posters from the ‘80s and early ‘90s â€" several from the old World Community Theater down the road, and last a toilet that’s actually bolted to the ground.

By 9 p.m. last night the joint was packed.  Newton made several shout outs thanking the crowd, and a special thanks to the dude who shattered the first glass on the floor. 

Will Tacoma continue to support the Top of Tacoma Bar in a neighborhood that’s virtually dead of nightlife?  I remember the day The Swiss opened in a very sketchy neighborhood.  If you build it they will come â€" especially if it’s owned by beloved Jaime Kay Newton. â€" Brad Allen