Neighborhood pub The Stepping Stone (5903 24th Ave NW) has reopened under new ownership. The new owners are Darren and Liz Miller, who purchased the bar in July. The Millers have strong ties to the now-closed Viking Tavern; not only did they meet there 13 years ago, Darren was bartender and bar manager at The Viking for over a decade. They purchased The Stepping Stone back in July, and while they kept the name, they changed several aspects of the pub.
“We really wanted to brighten the place up and make it warm and welcoming. We want people to feel like they are in their second living room”, says Liz Miller in a release. They plan to serve beer, wine, snacks and small plates. “Since we are such a small place we are going to see what all we can do in the space when it comes to food so our small-plate menu will be a work in progress for a while” says Darren.
The hours will be noon to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to midnight on Sundays.
Photo from The Stepping Stone’s Facebook page
The Stepping Stone has unfortunately gone down hill since the changeover. I’ve given it several chances. I’ll go in, buy a drink or two and try to make friendly conversation…something that used to be easy to come by in this place, but, instead, I usually leave feeling rejected, somewhat by the patrons, but more often than not by the bartenders who tend to misinterpret an open, cautious heart that tries to entertain a group of bored looking folks for a person that means to mock and hurt feelings of those around them. It’s a little crazy to go to a place that once felt like home/family, a place you would recommend to the masses, only to walk away feeling shunned and misunderstood for trying to make people smile. If you’re generally a happy person looking to spend time with like minded people this may not be your best bet.