Earlier this month, I went out to play pinball and for the first time since living in Seattle, Shorty’s isn’t open. Knowing they re-open the next day, I count my blessings and settle for the Medieval Madness living at Streamline Tavern. I have it on good authority that is the original machine from Shorty’s iconic lineup. Last October, the game was pulled from Pinball Cove just before the last Shorty’s Annual tournament. The loss of Medieval Madness was noticed with a communal sigh and was the first significant omen of change. Moving an entire business down the street in less than a week is a hearty accomplishment. Months of preparation minimized downtime while fully inundating the new property with heart & soul from original Shorty’s. Under the leadership of the unflappable Shorty’s staff, volunteer clowns and dedicated regulars helped pull everything together with only minor hiccups.
The first thing everyone notices night is the new building smell. The bartenders readily confirm that the old location smells even worse than you can imagine. I guess we just didn’t notice until there was something to compare it to? Or maybe it’s a metaphor. One thing is certain – air conditioning is everyone’s favorite improvement. It does wonders for keeping the new location fresh, though I expect the hooligans at Shorty’s will soon do away with any lingering cleanliness. Thematically, the bathroom graffiti is developing as foreseen. Overall it’s the same feeling you get when moving to a new apartment – all the same stuff is here but it’s definitely not the same place.
Not all change is bad even if it is scary. Sporting a circular floor plan and all-gender bathrooms, the new space is easily better than the previous shotgun-style building. Using the same stencils to recreate an undersea wonderland, Pinball Cove has the same blacklit vibe with more space for multiplayer games and less people looking for the bathroom. The back bar that seemed like it was never open is now an upstairs bar that is open a little more often. Wednesday nights in the Trophy Room is half-price bowling night. That’s right, bowling. More fun than ski ball, the miniature bowling lanes simulate a real game well enough to recognize a 7/10 split. Of course the most popular part of upstairs will be the back booths with secret windows. Go check it out.
New or old, most things are outweighed by the exact similarities – boozy slushies, surly bartenders, clown art, community, great dogs, tables made of pinball tables and the smell will catch up after a few summers worth of shenanigans. On the other side, the loss of a few pinball standards such as Fathom and Scared Stiff have me missing Add-A-Ball a twinge. Fortunately, two of the new games are only 25¢ per play and almost make up for the loss of Jack In the Box. Perhaps the most intriguing change is the new menu. If you want to live dangerously, now you can order tuna salad at Shorty’s while the bartender is in the middle of her rush. Then again, I hear the Frito Pie is quite tasty. Regardless, the best similarity between both locations is the tree outside. Both grand creatures, I much prefer the newer evergreen, Mainly because it could house a great fort!