Victor Jules Bergeron in Tacoma WA

Everyone knows that trader vic's first restaurant outside the bay area was Seattle's Outrigger, well turns out the same year, 1949, he opened a restaurant
in Tacoma 20 miles south of Seattle called the Sabre Room. It was an English tap room style pub in the winthrop hotel. tacoma's top downtown hotel from 1925 to the 60's.

"Trader Vic has brought his world famous menu to Tacoma... Trader Vic and his wife will host the grand opening.."

"at a cost of $45,000 Trade Vic opened the Sabre Room...Vic is second from the right standing next to mayor two unknown on the ends."
Maybe this belongs in Bilge but I'm putting it here because it's trader vic history, thanks for looking, tikicoma

Tacoma...180,000 alcoholics can't all be wrong!

[ Edited by: tikicoma 2011-03-23 00:44 ]

[ Edited by: tikicoma 2011-03-24 00:09 ]

No no no, this belongs here! Who knew!? Imagine if that place would have taken off, and the Outrigger bombed! This site could be "Dart's 'n' Ale" Central now!

Wow - very interesting!

From Tacoma Public Library:

Two crossed sabres decorate the appropriately named Sabre Room in the Winthrop Hotel in November, 1955. The decor appears Elizabethan with a predominance of wood, including wooden beams and simple chairs and tables. A touch of the modern appears with the presence of the room's chef in his open kitchen, just steps away from dining customers. The popular Sabre Room had been completely redecorated and was reopened on November 15, 1955. It retained its Old English atmosphere in the design by Arthur Morgan & Associates of Seattle. Newly added dishes were flaming shish kebab and Old English pastries

A bartender waits for business at the bar discretely tucked away in the Winthrop Hotel's Sabre Room on November 2, 1955. A cheerful motto is painted on the bar's wall: "Happy to meet/Sorry to part/Happy to meet again"; the writer's name is Scotty. Two crossed swords on a paneled wall give the room its name. The unique Sabre Room was opened by Trader Vic in September, 1949. The popular dining room would reopen on November 15, 1955; completely redecorated, it still retained its Old World atmosphere. The menu was predominately Old English with plenty of beef.

I wonder if they served the original Suffering Bastard invented for the British officers, or the Trader Vic version?

Well, Tiki or not, that bar looks inviting so I think I'll pull up a stool and see what that bartender knows. And maybe I'll order some beef.

Thanks for the pics Unga.

And now
The horror, Oh the horror!
the Sabre Room 1958-63



Wow .. that 1963 remodel looks like a bad acid trip at the circus


had to drop this in, the Dr. Funk- FuManchu lamp more than Vic's photo makes me feel his presence.
I'll try to get to the library this weekend to see if I can get more info on whether the trader only designed the room-menu for the hotel or if he had a longer relationship with it.

Wow, I never knew about this!!