1921 1st Avenue - Butterworth Mortuary
09.20.2007 
photo by Jay LindbergNo restaurant occupys the space currently. It has been in the past; Cafe Sophie, Avenue One, Fire and Ice and most recently, Starlite Lounge.
Over the years, other restaurants have tried to open in the 1921 space. Fire and Ice stayed open only seven months. Starlite Lounge recently closed after almost two years.
Activity in 1921 1st Ave is erratic. Customers and employees have experienced hauntings, sightings and unexplained activity. Some consider 1921 1st to be the most haunted structure in Washington State. Ghost hunters have not been able to prove the activity. A shaman, though, has counted 19 spirits in the space.
Update, January 2008: The windows are currently covered by paper and work has resumed inside the space. Rumor has it that a new restaurant will open in April.
Update, May 2009: The windows are still covered, although it looks as though some movement towards re-opening is happening, evident only by peeking in through a hole in the brown paper covering the windows.
Update, August 2010: Hard hat sign is still up, construction is on and off and word is as new restaurant will be opening in April. Can't wait to see what becomes of the space. It is gorgeous inside.
Reader Comments (8)
I was just wondering, did a restaurant move into this place yet?
Kell's is planning to open a restaurant in the space but work has not yet been finished, and from the looks of it, it hasn't really even started inside yet.
Mercedes, we have a new website- its www.w-a-p-s.weebly.com
I posted a link to your tour
Hear anything about when the new restaurant is opening up yet?
Have you heard anything new about this new restaurant opening up? It has been a while and I cant seem to find any information about it. Also, this location is the top side of the old mortuary correct? Where the bodies laid in caskets and the families mourned in the lounges...and the space Kells is located in was the basement where the mortuary was, correct? Just checking. Thanks much!
Hey there - no nothing in the works yet - it still looks like no work is being done on the 1st Avenue side. Kells was the embalming room.
I was taking the bus up First Ave. past 1921 1st, (1st week in October, 2009), and I saw a man with painter's overalls on half way in the door. I told my husband they must be doing renovations on it, but the following week and a half, I haven't seen any activity. I had read that the owner of Kells was going to turn it in to another restaurant. Any word on it?
They are starting work on the entire building. Rumor is the First Ave side will be converted to a private facility with condos above.