Whatcom Roundup: New restaurant openings; a coffee shop closes; Trader Joe’s progress update
Here’s your weekly roundup of the latest retail, business and restaurant activity in and around Whatcom County:
MOTO Pizza chain making progress
MOTO Pizza, a Seattle-based pizza restaurant known for its neon pink pizza boxes and unique toppings, is making progress toward opening its Bellingham location. The restaurant filled a permit with the city of Bellingham for the new space at 4373 Meridian St. The permit was filed Nov. 25 and had not been approved as of Nov. 29.
The new restaurant was first confirmed back in December 2023 in an email from MOTO CEO Gerard Figurelli to The Bellingham Herald. The restaurant is planned to open in April, Figurelli said.
Little Dog Coffee Co. closing permanently
Little Dog Coffee Co., an espresso stand in Bellingham, announced its permanent closure in a social media post on Monday, Dec. 2.
“However, due to a combination of factors including the current and future economic conditions in Bellingham and Washington State and the need to focus on family, it is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of Little Dog Coffee Co. Our last day of operations will be Dec. 15 2024, or until supplies last,” the post states.
“While saying goodbye is hard, we’re incredibly grateful for the love and support we’ve been shown the last 6 years. Thank you to all of our amazing customers for everything and we hope to see you one last time,” the post states.
Little Dog Coffee Co. is open regularly from 4:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 2438 E Bakerview Road in Bellingham.
New restaurant in downtown Bellingham
Roe, a “ neighborhood restaurant on the corner of Unity & Flora,” is an American restaurant serving dishes with influences from Spain, Italy and France, according to the restaurant’s website.
“Expect to see dishes that you are used to seeing at fancy restaurants & some you would typically find at a drive-thru or dive bar. but they all are served on a plate from Goodwill,” their website states.
The restaurant opened Wednesday, Nov. 6 and serves dishes family style to share, such as caviar, Dungeness crab, focaccia, burgers, halibut and ricotta gnocchi, alongside craft cocktails and a selection of wines.
Roe is open from 4 t0 9 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and from 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday at 207 Unity St. Suite 101 in Bellingham.
Trader Joe’s update
The new Bellingham Trader Joe’s location at 4255 Meridian St., the previous location of Bed Bath & Beyond, which closed in April 2023, is making progress toward an opening.
No opening date has been set for the grocery store, according to Nakia Rohde, a public relations manager for Trader Joe’s. However, is expected to open sometime next year.
Rohde also confirmed that the Trader Joe’s at 2410 James St. will remain open, giving Bellingham residents two Trader Joe’s shopping options.
Holiday events across Whatcom County
Looking for festive tree lightings, parades, vendor markets, ice skating and New Years parties nearby? We’ve put together a guide of Whatcom County’s holiday events you won’t want to miss.
Bellingham events, trivia nights and live music
Bellingham is full of local events, markets, festivals and other events during the month of December. Here’s your guide to this month’s events, trivia, live music and more. For an extensive list of local events, visit our new Events page at www.bellinghamherald.com/events/#.
Discover Whatcom
If you’re looking for some fun things to do in Whatcom County, new restaurants to visit, or stories on what makes our area unique, subscribe to our free weekly “Discover Whatcom” newsletter below.
This story was originally published December 7, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
