122-year-old Virginia Inn now owned by four longtime employees

The more than a century-old Virginia Inn is under new ownership as four longtime employees have taken ownership of the historic restaurant near Pike Place Market.

Jackelyn Batingan, Amber Quezada, Manuel Sarabia, and Marisa Mohr, are officially the new co-owners of the restaurant located at the corner of Virginia Street and 1st Avenue, the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA) announced.

“We are thrilled to be the new stewards of this historic Seattle establishment,” said the new ownership group in a joint statement. “As longtime employees, we feel incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to bring our unique personalities, experience, and enthusiasm to this beloved place.”

The Virginia Inn has been a staple in the city of Seattle for more than 122 years, and each owner is bringing their own deeply rooted experiences to the restaurant’s revised ownership style.

The four new owners of the Virginia Inn

Batingan is a Seattle native who has worked in several service industry jobs, including more than 12 years working at the Virginia Inn. Batingan stated, “Being at the VI feels like a warm hug.”

Quezada shared that she is grateful to have the opportunity to not only continue doing what she loves, but also be the first queer woman of color to own the Virginia Inn.

Sarabia has worked within the Pike Place Market for the past 25 years, and believes being a shared owner in the restaurant is “a dream come true.”

Mohr is a Northern California native who moved to Seattle 13 years ago and spent the last seven years working behind the bar at the Virginia Inn. Mohr noted the restaurant is “familiar and comforting to many” and hopes to create more memories for the customers.

Rachel Ligtenberg, the Executive Director of the Pike Place Market PDA, claimed she was enthusiastic to have the four longtime Virginia Inn employees assume ownership of the restaurant.

“We are so excited to offer this opportunity to four incredible employees who share our deep commitment to preserving the Virginia Inn’s legacy,” Ligtenberg stated. “No one knows this restaurant, its history, and its loyal patrons better than they do. The PDA is honored to support them as they carry forward the Virginia Inn’s story as one of Seattle’s most enduring local treasures.”

Former complications with keeping the Virginia Inn open for business

The historic Virginia Inn previously announced in April that the restaurant would no longer be shutting down.

The well-known Pike Place Market restaurant and bar was set to close permanently on April 27 due to a disagreement over its lease with the PDA.

After agreements between both parties, the restaurant officially opened its doors again on April 29. On Monday, the restaurant made a Facebook post announcing that the PDA had changed its decision.

“This morning we received a last-minute reprieve of the eviction notice from the PDA, with plans to find a path forward for the Virginia Inn,” the restaurant wrote in the post, “Thank you all for your overwhelming support, we couldn’t have done it without you. We will resume business as usual.”

Known to regulars as The V.I., the inn has been a key piece of the city’s culture, surviving prohibition and the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 1980s, the Virginia Inn helped shape Seattle’s art bar scene and gained notable fame for its appearance in the 1992 grunge film Singles. 

Contributing: Sofia Silvia, KIRO Newsradio

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