A new bar coming to downtown Bellingham, a pizza change, and other retail updates
Here is a roundup of recent retail activity in Whatcom County:
▪ Fairhaven Pizza is under new ownership, but only minor changes are planned for the longtime eatery.
Emile Diffley, who also owns Anmly Cafe near Mount Baker Theatre, closed on the purchase of Fairhaven Pizza in mid-August and spent some time doing maintenance and product testing. It reopened a few weeks ago with the same name and much of the original menu, including the same pizza varieties.
Diffley said one notable change is they are adding spent grain from local breweries into the pizza dough. Along with recycling a previously wasted product, he said it adds some unique textural and flavor components to the dough.
He said owning a second eatery offers some crossover opportunities, and he’s found that both restaurants can work well together.
“Pizza is a really unique product though in the sense that the dough is more or less a blank canvas and from there you can create something as simple or as complex as you want,” Diffley said in an email.
Fairhaven Pizza’s hours are noon-8:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. For updates and details, visit the restaurant’s Instagram page or its website.
▪ Chuckanut Bay Distillery has reopened its tasting room for customers in a way that meets today’s COVID-19 rules.
Changes include socially distant outdoor seating, making cocktails with the company’s own spirits and they will have a small selection of Washington wines.
The distillery, which is at 1311 Cornwall Ave., also continues to sell hand sanitizer. Tasting room hours are noon to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
▪ Evolve Chocolate has its downtown Bellingham location up and running at the Hotel Leo. The grab-and-go shop has a variety of things to pick up, including regional wines, beer, cigars and a sweet/savory food menu.
Details about the shop at 1226 Cornwall Ave. can be found on its Facebook page.
▪ Meanwhile, also at the Hotel Leo, a state liquor application was submitted to put in a new bar called 21st Amendment.
Hotel Leo Managing Partner Peter Frazier said the bar will be in the Chandelier Room, focusing on local beers, wines and craft cocktails and a limited bar food menu for hotel guests, apartment residents and the public. If all goes smoothly, the bar could be ready sometime this fall.
▪ WECU announced that it will begin accepting walk-in visits from members on Tuesday, Sept. 22. While the Bellis Fair branch will remain closed, other branches in Whatcom County will be open.
The credit union will have a variety of rules in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, including limiting lobby occupation and requiring face coverings.
▪ Alsum Trading Company announced on Facebook that it is moving from Everson to 400 Front St. in Lynden. The company, which sells a variety of goods found at places like estate sales and business closures, expects to be in its new space in mid-October.
The space was formerly occupied by More Than Antiques, which closed at the end of August.
▪ A state liquor license application was submitted to put in a restaurant at 442 Peace Portal Drive in Blaine. The proposed name is Rustic Fork Eatery and the applicants are Gary and Kristen Slavin. According to its Facebook page, the Rustic Fork is aiming for a November opening.
▪ A building permit application was submitted to the city to put in a bakery called Sweet Temptations. Permits indicate it is going into 4120 Meridian St., Suite 150, near the Car Wash King.
▪ Bellingham’s Makerspace is now fully operational at its new spot in Bellis Fair mall.
The non-profit group began moving into the space last spring and just recently completed renovations to the space, which is near Dick’s Sporting Goods.
The space provides an opportunity for the public and members to make things using high-tech equipment that might be hard to find elsewhere. Possibilities include woodworking, 3D printings, laser cutting, metalworking, ceramics and screen printing.
Regularly scheduled classes are open to the public and teach how to use tools and technology to complete creative projects, according to a news release from the organization.
Public hours are from 1-6 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Members may request approval to work outside of these hours as well. For details, visit bellinghammakerspace.org.
This story was originally published September 19, 2020 at 8:00 AM.
