After opening at the tail end of the pandemic and operating for three years, The Rabbit Box Theatre in Pike Place Market is up for sale. A popular music venue and hub for community and artists, the nightclub has offered a rotating schedule of live music, burlesque, comedy, cultural and literary events. 

“The Rabbit Box has struggled from day one, for many reasons beyond our control,” says co-founder Tia Matthies. Launching during the pandemic meant the company couldn’t qualify for Covid-era grant relief programs which could offset the high costs of starting a new business. The club has explored several options for continuing as a business, including establishing a nonprofit and creating a membership program.

The Rabbit Box was conceived of by co-founder Robynne Hawthorne as a creative living room—an intimate venue for music that could also serve as a literary-forward “house of stories.”

Located in the former Can Can club, the space was reimagined with new sightlines, added archways, and antique touches, like decorative wallpaper, chandeliers, ornate vintage couches, and reclaimed wood flooring from an old horse stable in Tennessee—a nod to the space’s history as a one-time horse stable in the early 1900s. Combining with these vintage elements is a professional-level sound system that was designed by Seattle music producer and sound engineer Gary Mula, who played a significant role in building out the space and became a partner in the business. 

Hawthorne books live music at The Rabbit Box most nights of the week, alongside family-friendly programs like magic shows and film screenings for all-ages audiences. Before owning The Rabbit Box, Hawthorne produced shows at The Pearl Coffeehouse, Horses Cut Shop, Underwood Stables, and Hotel Albatross. Matthies is widely known for co-founding legendary venues like OK Hotel, The Rendezvous, and The Royal Room. After 38 years of running nightclubs, Matthies wants to step down from the business to join her husband Steve Freeborn in retirement and focus more of her time on making visual art. In December 2024, Freeborn and Matthies, along with co-owner Wayne Horvitz, transitioned their shares of The Royal Room to buyer Reese Tanimura.

“It’s hard to find stages for new artists—we’re a small intimate place,” says Hawthorne. “We can host young unknowns unlike a lot of other spaces.” Matthies adds that creative minds need creative spaces to experiment, hone their craft, and perform for friends and family. “Every artist, no matter how successful, always needs to try out new things in front of a small audience. The Rabbit Box was intentionally designed to be such a place that could attract well-known artists as well as fledgling performers.” 

Since 2022, the club has featured artists ranging from No Wave spoken-word artist Lydia Lunch and Seattle songwriter Damien Jurado to Grammy-nominated artist Tracy Bonham. In its early days, The Rabbit Box hosted resident musical artists like Leeni, Caitlin Sherman, Brittany Davis, and Lo-Liner. The club has also presented shows in collaboration with The Triple Door. 

“I’m hoping that someone, in the spirit of old school Seattle music—the same spirit that helped nurture Nirvana—might be interested in keeping this little gem alive,” says Matthies. “Seattle has some serious cultural roots that are disappearing. People don’t always know the history of how the music scene started here, and the clubs and spaces that are needed to make that scene flourish. I hope whoever buys it is interested in keeping that going.” 

The business is listed for $500,000 with Vantage Seattle. For more information, contact Carrie Topacio at carrie@vantageseattle.com.