Adrian Cooper, picking up a VHS tape from the stacks, says, “Like a good book, it’s got a certain smell.” He explains that most of the finds came from estate sales around town, meaning that each one maintained the sensory impressions of its previous home – traces of cigarette smoke or the musk of a garage where they had been stored for decades.
The ‘80s and ‘90s nostalgia craze has gone on for so long that it’s practically an era in its own right. So, walking into Tacoma’s Beyond ThunderDome feels familiar. Along with the name, which is a homage to the “Mad Max” film series, there are posters everywhere showcasing vintage bands and films. And, of course, no homage would be complete without some mini TVs with their own VHS players and stacks of videos sitting nearby, ready to be deployed — no streaming required. But as much as this place celebrates the past, it keeps its feet planted firmly in the present, forming a welcoming stronghold in the local arts and music scene.
From the start, the space was a communal hub for the arts. It was a music venue first, then Cooper and his partners added the clothing store and a print shop, catering to local businesses and artists around the area.
They decided to develop the cafe next and opened it in 2020, just in time for the pandemic. Luckily, they did brisk business with Uber Eats and were able to keep their meals coming to the community.
Eating Well at Tacoma’s Beyond ThunderDome Café
You could easily spend a whole visit just basking in the ambiance and the sense of totally tubular meeting punk rock by way of radical kindness, but luckily, you can indulge in some excellent meals while you wait.
The culinary inspiration hearkens back to the owners’ East Coast roots, bringing a bit of bodega flavor to the Northwest. The Blaster sandwich is a glorious medley of meat, cheese, and lettuce, with a balsamic sauce adding a little tart kick. Non-carnivores can rejoice over the Dr. Dealgood, which is complete with vegan meat slices, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, and mayo. They also offer up a whole range of breakfast sandwiches, nachos, and “glizzies,” a mouthwatering hot dog combo.
On the beverage side of things, there’s a proper range of coffees and teas, as well as a selection of ciders, beers, and seltzers. The cocktail-inclined can enjoy some wonderfully creative concoctions, from the vanilla-soda-orange juice-rum party of Toe Cutter to the appropriately named Master Blaster, a lively mix of vodka, blue raspberry syrup, and Red Bull.
Beyond ThunderDome is a Place for Everyone
The primary focus at Beyond ThunderDome is on inclusion. As the sign over the door proclaims, it’s an all-ages space, and it boasts something of a DIY aesthetic combined with a focus on creativity in all of its forms.
The anchor point is Real Art Tacoma, a nonprofit arm of the Beyond ThunderDome family developed specifically to support youth engagement in the arts. Its biggest offering is the music venue, with an ever-rotating group of bands and plenty of touring acts filling the roster. While all manner of genres come through the door, they are particularly known for their hardcore and metal concerts, offering a space for fans of all ages to rock out.
Still, as with the rest of the space, there is a larger focus on engagement and developing a nurturing space for local teenagers to collaborate, create, and build a sense of community as they find their place in the post-COVID world. “It gives a voice for these kids as they’re growing,” Cooper explained. And with everything from comedy shows to arts and crafts nights, there’s always something new to try.
Endless Variety With Beyond ThunderDome
While there’s no shortage of things to look at, listen to, or sample at Beyond ThunderDome, there are also plenty of things to buy if you’d like to bring a little bit of vintage home with you. The walls of boxy videos immediately evoke flashbacks to the turn of the millennium, with a solid mix of classics and random offerings – 1994’s “Speed” is apparently a popular entry. There are also musical cassette tapes, vinyl records, boomboxes, and a whole other range of physical media, part of a larger move back towards owning tangible pieces of entertainment.
“Everybody’s tired of every digital platform,” Cooper said as we looked over the wide range of tape players and stacks of tunes from decades past. “It’s a tactile thing.”
Beyond ThunderDome’s cool clothing shop is also alive and well, with plenty of flannels, T-shirts, and sneakers to help spruce up your wardrobe.
The whole place feels like hanging out in a friend’s basement in the best possible way: lively, creative, packed with self-expression and a laid-back, welcoming sensibility. As Cooper put it, “We’re all artists.”
Beyond ThunderDome Café is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Shows generally run Thursday through Sunday, but for a complete list, as well as other upcoming events, check out their Facebook or Instagram pages.
Beyond ThunderDome Café
5412 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma