Tacoma's Pretty Gritty Tours with Chris Staudinger

This week the guys catch up with Chris Staudinger, owner of Pretty Gritty Tours since he was last on the show. Pretty Gritty Tours was founded in 2016 by a collection of guides, artists, and historian who feelt that the South Sound is one of the most beautiful and underrepresented parts of the world. Since then they have been digging deep into the stories, the businesses, and the buildings that make this such an incredible place to visits and sharing those treasures with all of you. Pretty Gritty Tours offers various tours around Tacoma, including a Brewery Tour, Historical Tours, and Antique Row. With the onset of Covid, they've also added new weekly virtual tours of the PNW for free! You can find out more about Chris and Pretty Gritty Tours at: prettygrittytours.com.

01:54 – Scott turns on Jeff’s picture as they all express how they’re missing him, Justin talks about what’s been happening with Brogans businesses in the last three years, and Chis talks about how’s he’s been since he last joined the podcast. He talks about the virtual tours he’s done during Covid, his touring of Tacoma’s old City Hall, and Justin talks about how The Union Club in Tacoma is haunted. He talks about how they’ve expanded there, the historical significance of the McMenamins building in Tacoma, and the secret bar there. Chris talks about being related to Patrick Swayze, Pretty Gritty Virtual Tours, and how they’ve been able to re-start their walking tours.

17:42 – Chris talks about the haunting he experienced at Stadium High School, the candy history in Tacoma, and the recent things he’s done with The Historic Preservation Office of Tacoma. He talks about the award they won during the pandemic, explains what started the Interactive Murder Mystery “Tacoma Noir”, and Scott talks about the group that put together live scavenger hunts. Chris talks about how he prepares for ghost tours, Scott reflects on the post ghost hunt at Brandy’s Attic, and Chris recommends that the guys tour the attic at The Union Club before the remodel.

35:03 – Justin tells Chris about GPC’s past Boot to Boot, Scott talks about his elegant fall during the event, and Chris recommends that they visit The Black Fleet Brewery during GCP’s next Boot To Boot. He talks about becoming a blacksmith, his love of making knives, and Justin gives Chris suggestions of things he could make for his bar. He talks about his plans to mark noon with cannons from his yard, Chris offers to make Justin a brass kraken for his bar, and explains how he tests each of his knives. Scott talks about what it takes to be a master bladesmith, his love of railroad spike knives, and Chris shares his love of KPOP music.

52:43 – Justin kicks off Is It Tacoma, they talk about how murderous racoons are, and Justin reflects on their past guest StreetBall Supe. Scott expresses what story he fells is from Tacoma, Chris asks if the story is actually from Tacoma, and Justin reveals what story it is. Justin shares the locations the two other stories are from, Chris talks about past interactions with a racoon, and Justin talks about a past argument he got in with a racoon. Scott stands by being right on his guess, they talk about squatter’s rights, and Justin shares where people can find Pretty Gritty Tours online.

Thanks Chris for joining the guys again for an update on what’s been happening since you last joined the podcast!!

• The Grit City Podcast: Pretty Gritty Tours - Chris Staudinger
• Union Club Tacoma in Tacoma
• Pretty Gritty Tours on YouTube
• Pretty Gritty Tours on Facebook
• Historic Preservation - City of Tacoma
• Celebrate 2021 Historic Preservation Awards - City of Tacoma — Pretty Gritty Tours for partnering with heritage organizations to transition to virtual programming
• The Spar Diner in Tacoma
• Tacoma Noir — "Tacoma Noir" is an interactive historic-fiction murder mystery based on Dashiell Hammett's time in Tacoma in the 1920s. 
• FALCON COAST FORGE — Born in flame. Bound for glory. Whatever you need, we can make it.
• Vulcan Knife
• StreetBall Supe
• The Grit City Podcast: Streetball Supe
• Squatters Rights Washington - Everything you Need to Know — Are you a property owner? Did you notice a squatter in your Cheney, Liberty Valley or other Washington property?