Whatcom business moves include chicken for lunch, Buffalo for football and a climbing gym
Here’s a roundup of recent retail activity in Whatcom County:
▪ More than six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Whatcom County businesses continue the process of reopening. L&L Libations reopened on Thursday, Sept. 24. The bar, which is next to Leaf & Ladle on north State Street, reopened with a new food menu and cocktail drinks.
The Wild Buffalo House of Music has reopened in the new Holly Street plaza area in downtown Bellingham, but under a very different format. According to its Facebook page, it is open 12:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, with drinks, football on a big-screen television and meals from the That’s What I Like Island Grill food truck.
Also reopening last week was the Beach Store Cafe on Lummi Island. The cafe announced on Facebook that it is doing a to-go only menu, including pizza, burgers, desserts and soups.
▪ While the music venue Shakedown remains closed, its other business, The Racket, expanded its capacity by adding an outdoor patio into north State Street. It has a to-go menu that includes cocktails. Orders can be made on its Facebook page or website.
▪ Bantam 46 announced on Facebook that it is offering a to-go lunch menu 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. That’s in addition to its regular dinner service that runs 5-9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Orders for the Railroad Avenue restaurant can be made online at its website.
▪ A new climbing gym is in the early planning stages for downtown Bellingham. The facility is called Chalkboard Climbing Gym, and it is slated to built at the undeveloped lot on 315 W. Holly St., across from the Old Town Cafe.
According to its website, the plan is to have it ready by spring 2022. Plans call for 60-foot walls and 15,000 square feet of climbing terrain. An early-stage rendering of the facility was posted on its Facebook page.
▪ The online news site My Ferndale News reports that last week’s demolition of the former Bob’s Burgers & Brews building near Main Street was done to create a space for a potential new building. The two-story structure, which was built in 1975, was a Bob’s restaurant from 1991 until it closed in December 2017, according to My Ferndale News.
▪ The Black Drop Coffeehouse is getting ready to move into 206 W. Magnolia St., the former Rook & Rogue space. According to its Facebook page, the plan is to move equipment into the bigger space on Monday, Sept. 28. The coffeehouse has been in its current spot at 300 W. Champion St. since 2002.
▪ Bellingham’s What’s Up magazine announced that it is ceasing publication. Co-owner Brent Cole said in a Facebook post that the COVID-19 pandemic was a factor in the decision. The magazine printed its last edition in March, which was the magazine’s 22nd anniversary.
Earlier this month two other local publications, Grow Northwest and Entertainment News Northwest, announced they were also ceasing print publications, citing the pandemic as a factor.
▪ A state liquor license application was submitted for a new restaurant or taproom at the former Milano’s space at 9990 Mt. Baker Highway in Glacier. The proposed new name is The Heliotrope and the applicants are Aaron and Jennifer Horwitz.
Milano’s is in the process of moving into a space at 1208 11th St. in Fairhaven and is close to opening, according to a recent email update from Milano’s owners Sam and Nancy Hassan.
▪ A building permit application was submitted to the city for a new 23,817-square-foot medical building at 3111 Woburn St., near Wells Fargo bank.
▪ Blue Horizon Clothing on 12th Street in Fairhaven is having its final day of business on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Owner Parul Bhathella, who bought the nearby boutique Three French Hens in 2014, is planning to move the Blue Horizon brands over to Three French Hens.
Bhathella said in an email that she will miss Blue Horizon very much, but customers will now be able to find a variety of boutique products, including the clothing, in one place.
“My passion has always been to create a boutique that is a one-stop destination for lifestyle and fashion. From sustainably grown cotton to hand-spun cashmere to vintage hide leather and locally crafted jewelry, our brands uphold the highest standards of quality, and are truly one-of-a-kind,” Bhathella said.
Three French Hens is at 1100 Harris Ave. Details about the business can be found on its Facebook page.
This story was originally published September 26, 2020 at 7:00 AM.
