When Missy Firnstahl-Claridge talks about Vons 1000 Spirits, you can practically see the family legacy in every word. It’s not just a restaurant—it’s a living tapestry of family milestones, entrepreneurial grit, and a deep-rooted passion for hospitality that stretches back five generations. Standing in Vons’ entryway, you might catch a glimpse of something intangible—maybe it’s the spirit of her great-great-grandfather, who created Sunny Jim Peanut Butter, or the echo of her great-great-uncle opening a landmark Seattle establishment. In many ways, Vons 1000 Spirits is the next chapter in that same legacy, written by a woman determined to continue her family’s tradition of serving up unforgettable meals and experiences. 

It’s a legacy Missy is proud to trace even further back. “My great-great-grandpa was a ‘Master Maker’ of famous Colby Cheese in Wisconsin,” she says. “Then, my great-grandpa, German Firnstahl, started the legendary Sunny Jim Peanut Butter Company, which my grandpa, JP, ran for 35 years. My dad, Tim Firnstahl, opened over a dozen restaurants—including Jake O’Shaunessey’s, which held a Guinness World Record for having the world’s largest selection of fine spirits. Now, it’s my turn to proudly carry forward the family tradition with Heritage 1904 collection of eateries.” 

Missy first got involved with the management side of Vons 1000 Spirits back in 2009, though the real story started decades earlier. The restaurant originally made its home in the Roosevelt Hotel in downtown Seattle. Missy’s father, Tim, founded and operated Vons for years, and his initial plan was to sell the place to investors outside his family. But fate had other ideas. Missy, who’d left Seattle for an MBA at the University of San Francisco, found herself returning to the Pacific Northwest just as the Roosevelt changed direction, effectively ending Vons’ lease. 

“After 25 years, The Roosevelt ended our lease – my husband was driving by the old Wolfgang Puck restaurant and called me to come down and look. We still joke that the Roosevelt kicking us out was the best thing that ever happened to us! We love the Harbor Steps and being across from the SAM – it forced us to rethink the brand,” Missy recalls. Faced with a new location and an uncertain future, she rolled up her sleeves—literally. “I started washing dishes and didn’t stop learning for years,” she says. “I needed to see Vons from every angle before deciding which direction to steer.” 

That grounding in the fundamentals paid off as she began overseeing the relocation to First Street, right at the steps to Seattle’s bustling harbor. Not only did she handle renovations and an entire concept overhaul, but she also discovered she was pregnant—just two days before reopening. “It was a whirlwind,” Missy remembers, smiling. “On one hand, I’m launching a new restaurant, and on the other, I’m dealing with morning sickness and picturing my life as a mom.” 

Undeterred, Missy enlisted the help of her brother-in-law, Jason Amador, who joined in 2016 to manage the food side of the business. Together, they unveiled a bold “sourdough concept,” spotlighting fresh, house-made sourdough in pastas and pizzas. The tangy dough quickly won over locals—within a few months, Vons 1000 Spirits found itself on multiple “Top 5” lists for Seattle restaurants. “We knew sourdough was different enough to stand out,” says Missy, “and it tied back to that old-school Northwest vibe we love.” 

But for all the talk of sourdough, half the story lies in the spirits. As the first woman to own and operate a blended bourbon distillery in the PNW, Missy makes varieties of blended bourbon, vodka, and gin crafted expressly for cocktails. Her approach isn’t about novelty—it’s about quality. In 2025, Sip Magazine awarded Vons 1000 Spirits Bourbon of the Year, catapulting the distillery’s reputation beyond local buzz. This success fueled an expansion to Woodinville, a hub already famed for its wineries. There, the Vons team built a tasting room that celebrates whiskey, wine, and local craft.  

The Woodinville distillery isn’t Missy’s only move. She also ventured into Sharp’s Roast House, an eatery focusing on roasted meats—another nod to Seattle’s culinary roots. Through it all, she balanced the demands of a thriving business empire with the evolving realities of family life. “Those first six months after moving Vons were some of the hardest of my life,” she admits. Yet the supportive Seattle community kept her going, and the establishment’s consistent popularity proved the effort worthwhile. 

Eventually, Missy bought out her father’s share, taking sole ownership of Vons 1000 Spirits. With two kids now in tow, she and her husband settled in Clyde Hill, where they spend weekends boating on Lake Washington, skiing in the Cascades, and hiking local trails—reveling in the very Northwest environment that has always inspired the restaurant’s vibe. “It’s one of those full-circle moments,” she says. “When I left for San Francisco, I never imagined I’d be back, let alone running the show.” 

Ask Missy about the secret to her success, and she’ll point straight to her heritage. “We like to say we’re a fifth-generation family of hospitality,” she explains. “My ancestors made cheese, peanut butter, and opened restaurants. Now, here I am continuing the tradition—quite literally—through our own distillery.” It’s a story that resonates in a city like Seattle, which thrives on balancing tradition with innovation. Vons 1000 Spirits manages to do just that—serving comfort and invention on the same menu. 

Whether you’re savoring sourdough pizza in the downtown spot, sampling a whiskey flight in Woodinville, or grabbing a hearty roast at Sharp’s, you’re stepping into a family legacy over a century in the making. From great-great-grandpa’s peanut butter factory to Tim Firnstahl’s Guinness World Record for spirits, each chapter has paved the way for Missy’s vision. “And we’re not done yet,” she says with a grin. In a city that embraces both old and new, Vons 1000 Spirits finds itself perfectly at home—at once a nod to Seattle’s past and a promise of more good things to come.