Business

Empty building with great view of Bellingham Bay could reopen as a restaurant

cliff house restaurant
The owners of a building at 331 N. State St. in Bellingham, former home of The Cliff House restaurant, have decided to make it available for lease. jdonaldson@bhamherald.com

A restaurant could return to a building known for having one of the best waterfront dining views in Bellingham.

The owners of The Cliff House building at 331 N. State St. have decided to make it available for lease. The new tenants would be allowed to use The Cliff House name if they wish, said Larry McCarter in an email.

McCarter’s wife, Rosemary Bolster, bought The Cliff House in 2015. Bolster’s father Jas F. Bolster originally opened the restaurant in 1971. It went through several owners before Rosemary purchased the business.

The restaurant was shut down in January 2017 for a major renovation. A decision was made to keep it closed as plans were in the works to build apartments on that site. McCarter said they’ve decided to put the apartment building plans on hold for now, given all the apartment construction already happening around the city.

Since the closure, the dining room has been expanded and the kitchen is still in place, McCarter said. Some remodeling work still needs to be done.

For details on leasing the space, call McCarter at 360-739-4843.

The Cliff House building in Bellingham is available for lease. The popular restaurant closed in January 2017 for a major remodel.
The Cliff House building in Bellingham is available for lease. The popular restaurant closed in January 2017 for a major remodel. Larry McCarter Courtesy to The Bellingham Herald

Other Tidbits

The Historic Fairhaven Association is gearing up for its annual Winterfest and is looking for business and citizen donations to help pay for the holiday lights and the events. Fairhaven Winterfest is scheduled to run Nov. 23-Dec. 22 with the traditional activities like visits from Santa, tree lighting, horse-drawn carriage rides and holiday markets/performances on the Village Green. There’s also a caroling competition on Dec. 22. Details, including donation information, can found at fairhavenwinterfest.com. ... The Swim Club bar in Fairhaven will have a Christmas pop-up bar called Miracle. According to a news release, these pop-up bars happen around the world, offering holiday-themed drinks and decor. The pop-up at The Swim Club is scheduled to start Dec. 1 and run through Christmas Eve. 10 percent of the glassware sales will go to Action Against Hunger. ... Zorganics Institute Beauty and Wellness recently opened in Bakerview Square at 410 W. Bakerview Road in Bellingham. The school is for those interested in starting or advancing careers as cosmetologists, estheticians and nail technicians, according to a news release. Details can be found at zorganicsinstitute.com.

People gather at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Fairhaven in 2017.
People gather at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Fairhaven in 2017. Royal Reinsch/1 Paperboat Courtesy to The Bellingham Herald
Dave Gallagher: 360-715-2269, @BhamHeraldBiz

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