If These Walls Could Speak
Long before Boundary Bay Brewery opened for business, the space was a meat packing factory, a storage company, a beverage distribution company, a pinball and arcade game machine factory.. It was even a bodybuilding and photography studio before we came onto the scene. Many relics were left in the wake of all the business turn-over since 1925. Most notable to us was the original wood flooring. Ed Bennett’s decision to carefully remove the 45 tons of concrete laid on the floor in order to expose the beautiful four inch original wood flooring demonstrates his dedication to creating an atmosphere of history at the brewpub. All in all, it took us 14 months, a lot of hard work, and a lot of beer to turn the building into a functioning production-scale brewery - where we hope to only enrich the history of this beautiful old building in Bellingham.
Over the years, Boundary Bay Brewery grew into the space and we decided we needed more. We acquired the neighboring storage area in order to get our independent distribution program off of the ground floor. Then we converted an old parking lot into our crown jewel - Boundary Bay’s beer garden is often referred to as “Bellingham’s Backyard,” a large and beautiful venue in which we have gathered the community for live music, cookouts, dance parties, and more - thousands of times. Finally, we acquired the Mountain Room as a means for increased production.
A Piece of Washington Brewing History
Many who have visited the Mountain Room at Boundary Bay have sat at the bar, likely unaware of the story behind this large and antiquated piece of Washington craft-beer history. As Ed reflects on the acquisition of this historic bar he says:
“Kind of an interesting story. We got wind of the Rainier brewery in Seattle dismantling their warehouse. There was an attorney out of San Francisco who was handling the bids for all the equipment including that bar. So, I contacted the attorney and I said ‘I really want this bar. It’s a beautiful bar, has a lot of history, which I’m really into. What’s it worth?’ And he looked, there was a pause and he says, ‘Well, I’ll tell you. It’s worth whatever you want to pay for it.’”
Winning the bid for this bar felt like a longshot. It was a piece of nostalgia for Ed, and its presence encapsulates many memories of his visits to the Rainier Brewery during his college days. Since winning the bid on this bar, the room it now resides in is aptly named “The Mountain Room.”
A Word from our Original Employee
When Bruce Kale heard that a brewery was being built in 1994, he decided to take a trip down to the location and see if his services could be of use. In owner Ed Bennett’s own words “He was the perfect fit.” He was instrumental in the building of the brewery, and up until his retirement in 2020 - he was responsible for maintaining the premises. Suffice it to say, nobody has a relationship with this historic building quite like Bruce Kale. Enjoy the video below to hear his sentiment.
Covid-19 of course changed a lot for us. While our indoor spaces are being prepped for indoor dining to return, our outdoor spaces are primed with covered areas, social-distancing and plenty of heat to go around. The images below are a look into how the brewery has adapted to allow for our community to stay safe when they visit.
