This neighborhood is also called the Theater District, and sometimes even the Triangle District- but to me it will always be St. Helens. The area south of Division, North of 9th Street, and South of Tacoma Ave just kind of has it’s own feel. I’ve lived around here several times, and I love how lively and active it is. There is a good mix of renters and owners, and a lot of new locally owned Tacoma businesses. It’s easy walking distance to the Stadium Thriftway or the IGA Downtown for groceries, and located near a freeway on-ramp, so commuters like it. Here are some of my favorite places in St. Helens:
The Grand Cinema – Downtown Tacoma’s non-profit movie theater has 4 screens. While they play a lot of mainstream movies, they also play many movies that never show up in the big theaters. It’s local treasure, and if you live in St. Helens, you can walk to the movies. Which is cool!
Corina Bakery– Having this place as a neighbor is one of the reasons I’ve gained 10 20 pounds this past year! They bake cakes, fresh bread, delicious scones, quiche, and my personal weakness: cheddar croissants. Oh mama, this place is the best. They’ve recently moved next door to The Grand Cinema into a larger location that has wifi and is a great place to work on your laptop and eat a cupcake.
The Mix – This is my favorite neighborhood bar in Tacoma. I’m not saying it’s the best, because a persons choice of favorite bar is a very personal and mysterious thing, but they have everything I need. Nice cheap drinks, karaoke after 9pm most nights, and a friendly staff that gets to know you. There’s also just a really great welcoming vibe with patrons. It’s my Cheers. You can watch my video about condo financing I shot at The Mix here!
Stink Meat & Cheese– They have a daily Mac & Cheese and Grilled Cheese special. I mean, right there is a reason to stop by. They also (as the name suggests) have a little deli counter with fancy meats and cheeses available for purchase and a fancy custom bar with a large wine selection for those that are into pairing their meats and cheeses with the perfect wine !
Puget Sound Pizza– This is almost certainly the best pizza in Tacoma. Delicious crust, spicey sauce, and a whole host of toppings. They also have a fully stocked bar and on weekends the place is hopping. During this years snow and ice storm, PSP was one of the few places that was able to keep normal hours because it seems all the employees live within a few blocks. VERY convenient. They also serve up a nice greasy breakfast on the weekends.
Condo Buildings in the St. Helens Neighborhood
There aren’t really any houses in this part of downtown, so if you want to live down here you need to rent (and there are a variety of rentals, from super affordable like The Webster to high end like The Metropolitan) or you need to look at Condos. Here are some of the condo buildings:
The Roberson
428 Condos
Luna
Broadway Condos
Sky Terrace
Bayview Condos
Granville
505 Broadway
More info coming soon!
