New dining options on Tacoma Ave.

There’s new life coming to Tacoma Avenue! SideBar Bistro will open at 1101 Tacoma Avenue South by the beginning of September at the site of the former Kelly’s Restaurant in the historic Samuel Robertson building. Tacoma Community Redevelopment Authority will support this new venture with a $150,000 low-interest loan that owners Thomas and JoAnna Irick will pay back over the next five years. The loan will help to provide working capital and finance improvement and equipment purchases for the restaurant. Job creation is one of the requirements of this type of loan, and SideBar Bistro will create six new full-time positions to help run the restaurant.

The site of the former Kelly’s Restaurant in the historic Samuel Robertson building has been vacant for the past five years. The new owners have completely remodeled the building and will occupy legal offices on the upper floors. SideBar Bistro will offer made-to-order gourmet sandwiches, healthy salads and comforting soups as well as delivery and take-out and espresso, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, contact Genal Gavaldon at g.gavaldon@cityoftacoma.org or (253) 591-5213.

The Irick’s, who since 2005 have operated the Hot Rod Dog at 1742 Pacific Ave. in the Old West Coast Grocery Building across from Union Station, will receive another $50,000 loan to expand that business. They will add sandwiches and paninis to their menu at the Pacific Ave. location, and will open a new Hot Rod Dog location next to SideBar Bistro. Hot Rod Dog will hire two additional full-time employees as part of that loan agreement.