Deja Vu Owner Buys Showbox Site

The Showbox Building in downtown Seattle has been sold to the owner of the Deja Vu strip clubs for $2.86 million.

The deal closed on Wednesday, said Olympia businessman Michael Lyons, who owned the property.

Lyons yesterday confirmed the purchaser was Harry Mohney, the Lansing, Mich.-based owner of the national Deja Vu chain of adult-entertainment businesses.

Though there has been some speculation Mohney might try to move the downtown Deja Vu club at First Avenue and Pike Street to the Showbox Building, Lyons said he has not been informed of any such plans.

"My impression was they weren't just buying it to let it deteriorate. They were going to fix it up," said Lyons.

He added that Harbor Properties, developer of the Harbor Steps East and West apartment towers in downtown Seattle, holds the master lease on the Showbox Building at 1426 First Ave. until January 1999.

In addition to two restaurants and a vintage clothing store, the Showbox theater is one of Harbor's major tenants in the building. The music club has hosted groups from Pearl Jam to Los Lobos.

Jeff Steichen, partner and general manager of the club, stressed that it was the property that was sold, not the theater. The theater has a lease with Harbor and continues to operate as usual, he said.

Mohney's long-term plans for the Showbox Building are unclear. He did not return telephone calls.

The downtown Deja Vu is losing its lease with Samis Land, which plans to redevelop its property at First and Pike.