Popular music venue, Airport Tavern, will soon well over double in size with the lease of neighboring Khan’s Furniture which has gone out of business, at 5402 S Tacoma Way in Tacoma.
Promoter and Co-Owner Dan Rankin has publicly made light mention of Airport Tavern‘s expansion, but as of Monday he’s confirmed with What Now Seattle that come May 2023 “The Tav,” as he coins it, will grow from a capacity of 96 to upwards of 700. “While ‘The Tav’ will grow in size, it will have the ability to close off the show room and keep our ‘small tav vibe’ that we are currently known for when there isn’t a show or event happening,” he said.
Not only will there be additional capacity, but patrons will be privy to two additional satellite bars, many more restrooms, coat check, a talent merchandise area, ability for both standing and seated options, and a 20×30 removable stage to allow for more versatility in the space, according to Rankin.
And if you’re one of the artists passing through the upgraded facility, he’s providing new amenities as well to include augmented house lighting and sound with extra power, shore power for tour buses, two large and fully-furnished Green Rooms–kitchenette, washer and dryer, and privates restroom and shower facilities, to name a few.
With the Khan Furniture space takeover, The Tav also has acquired the left-behind furniture. “We don’t want to get into the furniture business,” Rankin joked about having to rid himself of his new possessions. So two auctions for the furniture will be taking place in the coming weeks, so be at the ready for some great deals. Funds from the auction will be put into the Airport Tavern’s expansion.
Rankin and wife, Jessica, also run Over The Bar Office and Creative Suites above Airport Tavern. They had what he described as “an old school, apartment style area with one bathroom,” which they decided to covert into co-working spaces. “We have hairstylists, massage therapists, lawyers, fashion designers, painters, as well as a recording studio and many other micro-businesses working in the spaces,” Rankin told us. Currently they have 11 suites available, but with the expansion they’ll have a total of 27 for the area’s small businesses and artists to rent.
And if running two businesses wasn’t enough, Rankin also is a promoter for bands and artists up and down the I-5 corridor. “We’ve worked with Mickey Avalon, Dirt Nasty, blues bands, reggae, rock, etc.” he mentioned. With the additional capacity of Airport Tavern, Rankin is excited to funnel his promoting business back into his expanded music venue soon to be able to accommodate larger artists and bands. His acclaimed Reggae On The Way festival and other outdoor hosted music events will continue being hosted in the area as well with some hush-hush names coming through this year, so keep your ear to the pavement for them to start name dropping in the coming months.
