Restaurant Update: Whatcom restaurant sales on the rise

It appears the weak Canadian dollar is not slowing the Whatcom County restaurant industry.

Recently released data from the state Department of Revenue indicates local eateries rang up $84.7 million in sales during the second quarter of 2015, a $4 million increase compared to the same period a year earlier. Whatcom County had 473 establishments (which includes drinking places) last spring, nearly the same as a year earlier.

Here’s a roundup of recent restaurant activity:

▪  Chuckanut Brewery has started a production facility at the Port of Skagit, near the Skagit airport.

The new Skagit facility will brew larger quantities of Chuckanut’s most popular beer styles, according to a company news release. It also will have a beer hall and be able to sell kegs, growlers and bottled beer.

The company estimates a spring 2016 opening date.

▪  Semiahmoo Resort recently hired Bruno Feldeisen as its executive chef.

Feldeisen will be overseeing banquet and catering operations as well as the restaurants Packers Oyster Bar, Pierside Kitchen, Great Blue Heron Grill and Loomis Trail Bar & Grille. He has nearly three decades of culinary experience and has worked in eateries around the world, including France, Monaco and New York City.

▪  A new Fairhaven restaurant will give customers a chance to enjoy burgers and fries in a place where they feel like they’ve been transported back in time.

John and Wendy DeFreest opened JDub’s Filling Station in early November, going into the former AW Asian Bistro space at 1138 Finnegan Way. They serve lunch and dinner, along with breakfast on the weekends.

The restaurant has gas station-themed memorabilia, including signs, license plates and an antique gas station pump. It’s a tip of the hat to the old gas station across the street and to that period when filling stations were full-service operations, Wendy DeFreest said. Employees also will be dressed up like gas station attendants.

While the memorabilia is focused on filling stations, the menu is about burgers, fries, beers and milkshakes. The fries are called dipsticks, for example, while hot dogs are known as spark plugs and one of the burgers is dubbed The Thunderbird. The meat is locally sourced when possible, and veggie burgers are available. Along with regular milkshakes, the Filling Station has “boozy frappes,” or shakes with a bit of alcohol. The restaurant also will offer growlers, adding another meaning to the Filling Station name.

▪  A new brewery is close to opening in Bellingham, offering something for beer fans who like to try out different styles.

Structures Brewing is currently making some small batches at 1420 N. State St. and plans to have its tasting room open in late November, said James Alexander, who founded the brewery with Ryan Miller.

Customers will get a different experience each time they visit the tasting room, Miller said, because the styles of beer on tap will vary. One week they may offer a double IPA, for example; then after that runs out they may offer an oatmeal stout. This format will allow them to be creative and experiment while getting feedback from customers, he said.

This story was originally published November 19, 2015 at 3:00 AM with the headline "Restaurant Update: Whatcom restaurant sales on the rise."