When most people talk about the beginning of Downtown Yakima’s revitalization, they point to the opening of Second Street Grill. In November of 2008, owners Steve Pinza and Pete Blue opened a new bar and grille in their old night club spot, fully refurbishing the 1915 historic building with a center island bar, a spacious dining room, patio seating, and roll-up garage doors. It immediately became not only a bright spot in downtown, but a favorite meeting place for the community: Friday night drinks, a business lunch, watching the big game, a destination dinner for visitors, or a birthday or anniversary party. The comfortable confines lend themselves to all of those.
Steve Pinza says, “The whole idea behind Second Street was to have something that would have broader appeal, that would stand the test of time and be appealing to people of all ages, and to make it welcoming.” Pinza adds, “We designed this place ourselves. We did not hire an interior decorator. We really kind of stole ideas from a lot of different places (Pinza chuckles). A big influence was the Yard House which started in Long Beach – the center island bar, exposed kegs. The divided lights we took from The Wynn Hotel.”
Pinza says they poured a million dollars into the remodel in 2008 and there was never any doubt about the commitment, “I have always believed in downtown. Every city needs a heartbeat, and that heartbeat is downtown. And Downtown Yakima has come a long way. I have family members who came here in 2007 and could not find anything to do, but now, they love staying at a downtown hotel and exploring all the shops and restaurants.”
Pinza has built a strong, experienced staff and working with them as a team is the most rewarding part of the job. Interacting with the customers, is a close second, says Pinza. “It’s kind of a Cheers like place and we have the characters that go with it! It is fun interacting with people and those people who appreciate what you do. Our customer base covers the whole gamut. We get a ton of people from out of town, ton of regulars, ton of people from the community. And we hear a lot of people say ‘this reminds me of a place we have been before’, which is always a good compliment”
Getting to Know Steve Pinza
Graduated from Gonzaga ’91. BA, Public Relations
Likes: golf, fly fish, cycling, retired basketball weekend warrior (the knees!)
Favorite shows: Seinfeld, Deadwood
Favorite movie: The Godfather 1 and 2
Favorite Zag: John Stockton
Menu: Continental faire, full bar, numerous crafted beers on tap
509-469-1486
28 N. 2nd Street
Yakima, WA 98901
Posted February 01, 2021
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