A longtime Whatcom cafe is ready to reopen and will be serving up Detroit-style pizza
A longtime restaurant is returning to Lummi Island, and that’s especially good news for those craving Detroit-style pizza.
The finishing touches are being put in place to reopen the Beach Store Cafe. The cafe will be going through a soft-opening period in the coming week before fully opening on Wednesday, March 23. Once officially open, spring hours will be 4-9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, said David Vogler, who will operate the cafe with his wife Elizabeth Berg.
The cafe, which is near the ferry dock at 2200 N. Nugent Road, has been closed since September after Tess Winds-Johnson and Jason Brubaker operated the cafe for seven years.
In a telephone interview, Vogler said they plan on expanding the menu, which includes burgers, seafood and small-plate options. The biggest change to the menu, he said, is the switch to the Detroit-style pizza known for its thick crust and for being crispy and chewy.
During the summer months, the owners plan on opening up the beer garden area and will have live music.
The building, which has been on the island for over 120 years, has housed many things but most importantly it’s been a gathering place for the islanders and tourists. That’s a tradition Vogler said they plan on keeping.
Vogler, who worked as a chef in the San Francisco Bay Area for 15 years and moved to Lummi Island in the summer of 2020, said they feel very fortunate to have found this opportunity and for being able to reopen just as pandemic restrictions are being relaxed in Whatcom County.
“If you can live and work on the island, it is paradise,” Vogler said.
For further details and updates, visit the cafe’s website.
This story was originally published March 13, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
