The Virginia Inn, which began operations in 1903, is a beloved Seattle institution and an integral part of Pike Place Market. So it was sad news for VI fans across Seattle when the news of the restaurant’s impending closure over a lease dispute went public. We quickly formed the Save the Virginia Inn coalition to urge the Pike Place Market PDA and the owner of the Virginia Inn to find a solution to keep the VI open past Sunday’s lease termination date. 
 
We were thrilled to learn Friday afternoon that the Virginia Inn’s lease will be extended until September. This will allow for further exploration of options that we hope will result in a permanent solution that keeps the VI open and serving the city for the foreseeable future. We want to express our profound gratitude to the PDA and to Executive Director Rachel Ligtenberg. The PDA met with us to hear our concerns and then offered this temporary lease extension.  We look forward to supporting the PDA in its quest for a permanent solution that preserves this iconic Seattle gathering place at 1stand Virginia.