# Edison Square

An event space in the 1919 Realart Theater on South Tacoma Way, with a stage, a mezzanine and a rooftop deck. It has been a movie house, a square dance hall and part of a restaurant.

Canonical URL: https://tacomairl.com/places/edison-square/
Section: places
Area: South Tacoma
Published: 2026-11-06
Last fact check: 2026-11-06
Status: Not marked closed; check official information
Location: South Tacoma Way
Address: 5415 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma, WA, 98409, US
Price: Varies by event. Rooms are rented for private events.
Official information: https://www.edisonsquare.com/
Visiting: Open for scheduled events. Check each event's listing.
Capacity: Room for 200 or more, 120 seated.

When the Realart Theater opened in 1919, a newspaper called it Tacoma's largest theater, with a large pipe organ and seats for 500, Historic Tacoma says. Radnor Pratsch built it, one of three theaters he owned on South Tacoma Way.

It showed movies until 1961. Then C.L. Therakauf opened the Realart Square Dance Hall in the building. In 1971 the Golden Dragon Restaurant next door bought the Realart and expanded into it.

## Now

Restored and renamed Edison Square, it's an event space with a stage, a bar area, a mezzanine and a rooftop deck. It rents for weddings, celebrations and community events.

## Nearby

Inside is the [Tacoma Connect community board](https://tacomairl.com/community/boards/tacoma-connect/). [Airport Tavern](https://tacomairl.com/places/airport-tavern/) is on the same stretch of South Tacoma Way.

## Sources

- [Edison Square: home page (address, 1919 Realart Theater, rooms, capacity, uses)](https://www.edisonsquare.com/)
- [Historic Tacoma on Clio: 5415 South Tacoma Way (1919) (Radnor Pratsch, opening claims, 1961 square dance hall, 1971 Golden Dragon)](https://theclio.com/entry/153238)