Whatcom Roundup: Dirty Dan Harris reopens; progress update on Old Navy
Here’s our weekly roundup of the latest retail and restaurant activity around Whatcom County:
Dirty Dan Harris Steakhouse reopens
Dirty Dan Harris Steakhouse, a historic Fairhaven restaurant that temporarily closed after the fatal Harris Avenue fire in 2023, recently reopened, according to a social media post from the restaurant.
Recent renovations include changes to the restaurant’s “Churchill Room,” which will now be called the “Phantom Room” and used for private dining or specialty dining for customers with sensory or respiratory issues, according to previous Herald reporting.
The reopening was announced in an April 7 Facebook post. Dirty Dan Harris Steakhouse is open from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday at 1211 11th St. in Bellingham.
New Bellingham Old Navy hiring
The new Old Navy location coming to Bellingham is making progress, as the new store is currently accepting applications online.
No official opening date has been announced. The new location will be at 4201 Meridian St. Ste 101a, in Cordata Center.
The Bellis Fair mall Old Navy location is also hiring, according to the company’s website.
Unemployment rate shows slight decline
The latest data update from the Washington State Employment Security Department shows Whatcom County’s unemployment rate decreased slightly from December to January. The county had a 5.0% unemployment rate with 5,647 unemployed people in January, a decrease of 0.2% and 271 people compared to December.
Last week’s roundup
Last week’s Whatcom Roundup discussed a downtown Bellingham bar and restaurant closing, a new shop coming to Bellis Fair mall, and a dog grooming company moving, local events and more.
Bellingham events, trivia nights and live music
Bellingham is full of local events, markets, festivals and other events during the month of February. 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.
This story was originally published April 10, 2026 at 5:15 AM.
