Breweries, cideries add to growing restaurant scene in Bellingham

When it comes to eating out in Whatcom County, Bellingham’s dominance is growing.

Of the $365.4 million in sales at restaurant and drinking places in Whatcom County, 73.5 percent of those sales were in Bellingham establishments, according to new 2017 data from the Washington State Department of Revenue. That’s up from 70.9 percent in 2012 as well as 2007.

The number of establishments is also on the rise. Last year Bellingham had 398 restaurants and drinking places, an 11.7 percent increase compared to five years earlier.

Looking back at 2012, you’ll find that it was a year when Kulshan Brewing opened its first facility on James Street. In the following years nine more beer breweries arrived. This year the trend has shifted to cider, with the arrival of Bellingham Cider Co. and Lost Giants Cider Co.

It’s not just breweries opening Bellingham. Several restaurants and cafes have opened in recent years, particularly in the downtown, which has steadily added restaurants in spaces once home to stores. It’s a trend that’s continue this year: Recent downtown restaurant/bar/cafe openings included Saltine, El Capitan’s, Big Love Juice, Black Sheep and Wild Oat Bakery.

Along with more choices, people appear to be going out more often. While wages haven’t increased dramatically locally, it’s been a good stretch of years with a strong labor market, said Hart Hodges, director at Western Washington University’s Center for Economic and Business Research.

James McCafferty, who is also a director at the research center, said he expects this trend to continue as Bellingham’s population continues to grow and average income keeps rising.