Yakima’s favorite craft beer industry hangout has closed
The oldest bar in Yakima, Washington has closed. Since 1912 generations of locals and brewers visiting from around the world for the annual hop harvest have patronized this downtown bar. The bar-restaurant had become a full-time card room before going out of business in 2003 and reopening as The Sports Center in 2006
The Sports Center, (214 E Yakima Ave, Yakima, WA 98901) an iconic pub known for their bright neon lights and spinning duck hunter marquee has been a mainstay in the heart of Washington’s apple, marijuana, and hop growing region. While The Sports Center was a dive bar through and through, you could always count on a great craft beer selection, especially during hop harvest when brewers and local hop farms wanted to see their experimental hops and seasonal brews on draft at everyone’s go-to watering hole.
The Yakima County-Herald once wrote that “The Sports Center has been a key player in downtown Yakima's post-mall cultural renaissance. It gave hip, young Yakima a place to congregate downtown.”
Sky's Shutter Media reporting for the New School says The Sports Center officially closed on Tuesday, July 21st without warning. The Sports Center social media accounts last post was in promotion for a DJ Dance Party the bar was hosting on Friday, July 17th.
The Sports Center had previously closed for an entire year in the beginning of the pandemic with the owners opting not to reopen before finding a buyer to keep the business alive. Willie Edwards and Todd Widner, both owners of the The Sports Center building, decided to take over and reopen the bar in January 2022. The reopening refreshed the bathrooms, got a new dance floor, and made upgrades to the bar. The biggest change was the opening of sister business Gus’s Pizza next door, providing slices to the bar and in a separate family friendly space. The bar schedule also shifted to a Thursday - Sunday schedule, and more of a late evening experience featuring more live music and dance parties.
“Over the past day, I reached out to several people involved to better understand the closure,” says Sky’s Shutter Media reporting for New School Beer.
The Sports Center’s former manager Erin said, "I will be forever grateful that the ownership gave me the opportunity to fulfill my vision of what The Sports Center could be, and I am very proud of what we built."
Erin said the decision to close was a personal decision by the ownership, adding that she has nothing but respect and understanding for that decision. She also thanked her staff and the many customers who supported the bar throughout the years, calling it "a crazy beautiful ride."
Willie Edwards of WMT Enterprises LLC, the building co-owner and Sports Center bar co-owner since 2021 said that he and his business partners met with management on Tuesday, July 21, where they made the difficult decision to close the bar.
Edwards said that despite being one of the busiest bars in town, the business had been consistently losing money. According to Edwards, he and his partners had continued putting money into the business to keep it operating, but eventually decided it was time to hit the reset button.
Edwards emphasized that he does not want this to be a permanent closure.
Instead, he said the owners hope to make changes to the business, find new management, and eventually reopen The Sports Center under a more sustainable business model.
Sky Media also looked into online claims regarding the property's tax status. When initially asked about the issue, Edwards said the business was not behind on taxes. But, the Yakima County Assessor's Office and the Yakima County Treasurer's Office showed something different.
As of Thursday July 23rd, the WMT Enterprises LLC property tax account associated with the property showed a cumulative balance due of $16,756.08, including a delinquent 2025 property tax balance.
After sharing those records with Edwards, he said he believed the taxes had been paid based on what he had been told by the business's accountant and manager. He expressed surprise at the information and said he planned to look into it further.
It is unclear if and when The Sports Center could reopen in a new form, but what would be their busiest season during the annual hop harvest is only about 1 month away.
