Landmark Eatery Looks For A Home

Say it isn't so. Another Seattle fixture may be heading down memory lane. Steve's Broiler, 1937 Fourth Ave., one of the few blue-collar restaurants left in downtown Seattle, has lost its lease after 37 years.

The owners, brothers Taso, John and Mike Christofilis, have been searching for another downtown spot, but so far haven't had much luck.

"We're trying like heck to find a place," says Mike. "We're an institution here." He explains the restaurant's landlord, the Clise Co., has leased the space to "a big outfit." (At press time, there was no information on the prospective leaseholder.)

The Christofilis brothers have operated the restaurant for 21 years. Before that, it was owned for 16 years by Steve Panos, the man who gave the durable hangout its name.

For decades, Steve's Broiler was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In recent years, it has been open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, serving breakfast all day, as well as Greek and American dishes.

"It's one place where you can go and have hot cakes, while your date is eating steak," said Mike. Last day for Steve's at Fourth and Virginia is Feb. 8.

All aboard: Rather than lament defeat of the gun-control initiative, Mothers Against Violence in America (MAVIA) has leaped back into action, adding 10 new members to its board.

Names of the new MAVIA directors (all women) read like a roster of high-powered movers and shakers: Marleen Alhadeff, Charlene Blethen, Freddie Mae Gautier, Patricia Gibbs, Britta Hendren, Trudi Inslee, Margaret Larson, Mary Moore, Pat Stanford and Meg Taylor.

This land: Actor Robert Redford reminisced about Seattle prior to an interview set for airing at 7:30 a.m. Sunday over KBSG-FM (97.3). Redford revealed he has lots of friends here, among them "the old K-2 ski group on Vashon Island."

However, the bulk of the 30-minute phone interview, conducted by CNN's Jack Hamann for Outside Radio, centered on Redford's environmental concerns. The interview is being broadcast in two segments and made available on the Web at outside.starwave.com.

Redford said, "To me, there's nothing more unfortunate than the fact that our leaders lack foresight and vision. The Republican Party . . . treats the environment like it's the enemy."

Reel thing: "Real World," the MTV program that follows several young people around, begins its Seattle stint next week. Their base of operations is a closely guarded secret, but the Stranger, a Seattle weekly, has blabbed they will reside in remodeled quarters at Pier 70.

A check yesterday discovered that, yes indeed, workers are swarming over an area once occupied by small retail shops. The crew wouldn't talk, but the staff next door at Pier 1 Imports is convinced "Real World" is moving in.

Speaking Seattle: The University of Phoenix has ads running on local radio stations. But the ads haven't quite mastered the local patois, not when they mention "Pike's Place Market" and "the view from Mount Rainier."

Jean Godden's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the Local News section of The Times. Her phone message number is 206-464-8300. Her e-mail address is: jgod-new@seatimes.com