What has been noticed by many Bellingham residents as a small, colorful, local produce stand in the Fountain neighborhood has now made the most of their space on Northwest Avenue. Expanded toward the street and newly renovated on the inside, Goods Local Brews has seen success in recent weeks after serving up what Bellingham loves most, local produce and craft beer.
Open just in time for summer, Goods grew from three picnic tables in their outdoor beer garden to ten, according to owner Cory Bakker.
Bakker has been the owner of Goods for six years. Up until this summer, Goods has functioned only as a produce stand, selling produce primarily from Whatcom County and some from Bakker’s trips over the mountains twice a week to get the freshest of the fresh for Bellingham to enjoy. Bakker has been wanting to expand his business for some time, and figured a taproom would be a good way to bring people together from the neighborhood.
Courtesy of Goods Local Brews Instagram. @goodslocalbrews
“My passion is produce,” Bakker said. “But I’m learning about beer. I love people, so if that’s
Bakker was right. He and his taproom business partner, Tim Miller, have been at capacity on warm summer nights, and plan to expand their space further to accommodate neighborhood beer drinkers.
Miller handles the tap list curation, which so far has been a success, showcasing a variety of Whatcom County breweries and beer styles. At Goods, you can find beer from the newer, but quickly growing breweries like Illuminati and Gruff, right next to brews from places that have helped initiate the craft beer movement in Bellingham, like Boundary Bay and Kulshan.
@goodslocalbrews
Goods is kid friendly and pet friendly, which gives them a unique edge in Bellingham. Many families in the Fountain neighborhood are excited to enjoy a pint while still having it be a family outing.
In order to be kid friendly, according to the Liquor Control Board, they have to sell food of their own (produce doesn’t count). After a couple beers there is often nothing that sounds better than a hot dog, which you can find a small rotisserie at the end of the bar, or choose to visit the taco truck on the side of the building. Soon, hungry beer drinkers can expect to see a chicken and waffles truck one day a week as well.
If you’re not a beer drinker, don’t worry. You can find mimosas and cider on their menu as well.
Goods has a small staff of about five people including Bakker, adding to the family-oriented feel you get right when you walk through the door.
@goodslocalbrews
“Most of our customers that walk through the door are from the neighborhood,” Bakker said of the busy nights at Goods. “But then they all have friends that live in other neighborhoods and all of them end up here. The feel and the energy in here is unbelievable.”
As for the beer, Bakker and Miller aim for carrying things that aren’t necessarily found everywhere around town. They plan to expand beyond Whatcom County as well, bringing in beers from Skagit County and other parts of Washington. While we are lucky to live in the beer community we live in, there are many other awesome breweries in Washington that Bakker is looking to highlight.
Goods sets itself apart by checking off many things on the average local beer drinker’s list; a wide variety of beer, outdoor seating, kid-friendly and dog-friendly. It may just be the go-to summer beer spot for many Bellingham families this summer.
