‘It’s great to be back’: Step inside downtown Bellingham’s new Boundary Bay
It’s been more than eight months since downtown Bellingham lost its iconic Boundary Bay Brewery on Railroad Avenue after owners Ed Bennett and Janet Lightner opted to retire after 30 years at the brewery.
A new chapter of the family business launched Wednesday at a different downtown location. Boundary on State held its grand opening Wednesday at 954 N State St.
“Like all good journeys, they must end so a new adventure can begin. It’s time for us to retire, which coincides with the Boundary building going up for sale by the building’s owner. After exploring many possibilities we have decided now is the right time to close this chapter,” Ed Bennet and Janet Lightner wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 announcing the closure. “For 30 years we have been able to create memories, magic and a lot of beer within these walls. We hope the Boundary Bay legacy of commitment to the community continues beyond our time on Railroad Avenue,”
By the time Boundary Bay closed its doors Sept. 30, most thought that was the end for the physical locations — until the local brewery made a surprising announcement in February that a new business at a smaller venue was on the horizon.
While everyone associated with the company has a passion for beer and feeding people, and the closure announcement sparked a wave of gratitude from the community, opening a new location wasn’t always the plan.
“There’s a technicality that has to do with our distribution license — the beer that Black Raven was brewing for us. We needed an actual storefront,” Madison Pugmire told The Herald in an interview Wednesday. Pugmire is Lightner’s daughter and the manager of the new venue. “We got lucky, found 954 North State St., and [thought] ‘we can do this.’ Then we started with a small group of [people], brought back some more former staff, and everyone worked really hard to put lots of love into it.”
Boundary on State features bistro tables and a bar from the original restaurant. Customers are encouraged to seat themselves in one of the booths, on the patio or on the balcony.
Patrons may recognize a sail from a sailboat that fits perfectly over the ceiling above the bar, a reminder of the decor from the Railroad Avenue location.
Although the menu is smaller than the original location, some fan-favorite beverages are still offered, including the Cedar Dust IPA, Imperial Oatmeal Stout and the 12° Pilsner.
The food menu features items that customers may recognize from the original location, such as the deviled eggs and salmon clam chowder. There are also several new paninis to choose from.
“Boundary Bay does have a really important place in my life, but it’s kind of bittersweet, because so much of it was about the location, and without the location it’s just one of 20 breweries in town now,” employee Joseph Hayes told The Herald. “So much of what [Boundary Bay] was, [in the location], and without that, I hope it keeps up, but it’s not quite the same as it used to be.”
Within the first 30 minutes of Wednesday’s opening, the patio and booths were full, and more people were filing it, full of excitement that the brewery had come to life.
Pugmire is still figuring out the events schedule, but on Saturday, June 20, the back patio will be opened up for a local band to play.
“It’s a different vibe for sure, and we’re still getting into the groove of things,” server and bartender Meg Yuan told The Herald. “But it feels good to be back.”