2 Fingers Social on the way to South Delridge

By Randall Hauk
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Two veteran bartenders are working to bring a neighborhood bar to an evolving stretch of South Delridge.

West Seattle residents Andrew Spence and Ed Wheeler have worked in bars and restaurants throughout the city since moving here from Oakland, California and Las Vegas, Nevada, respectively. Now the two have become business partners working toward a summertime opening of 2 Fingers Social at 9211 Delridge Way SW, a site that has seen a variety of businesses come and go in recent years, as noted here when we first mentioned an early-stage plan for the site in March.

Spence and Wheeler hope their experience in the food-and-beverage industry will help them establish their bar as a fixture in a rapidly changing area, where neighbors have already been working hard on improvements.

“It will be a place where people can come socialize with their neighbors and feel connected. It will have an old-school feel with a very old-fashioned aesthetic to it,” says Spence in describing the overall concept for the space. “It’s going to be a ‘bar’ in the traditional sense of the term, like what you would expect to see in a classic movie. It’d be a place where you would see Humphrey Bogart sitting next to Elvira.”

Beer and wine will be available at 2 Fingers Social, but the full bar will be the primary star. Spence and Wheeler are still putting their liquor lists together, but already have ruled out any cut-rate labels.

“Our well liquors are going to be what other bars serve as their calls,” says Wheeler. “Our prices may reflect that a bit, but people will quickly recognize that they’re getting quality drinks.”

Between the bar seating and tables, 2 Fingers Social will seat 50 people upon opening. The owners plan to eventually add outdoor seating on a patio in front of the building.

Though there is a heavy focus on the bar, Spence and Wheeler say their food offerings will be just as compelling. The menu will consist of hot sandwiches and sides. They plan to keep selections fairly limited and “off the beaten path.” Wheeler says they hope to work with the nearby shop Meat the Live Butcher on sourcing quality, local meats for their sandwiches. They will also have vegan and vegetarian sandwiches on the menu.

Both fathers themselves, Spence and Wheeler are dedicated to making the atmosphere of 2 Fingers Social as family-friendly as possible so that everyone feels welcome, whether they are coming for cocktails, dinner, or both.

“We want people to come into what would be an extension of our living room . . . if we could have a bar in our living room,” says Spence

The two are working hard on renovations and paperwork in the hopes they will be able to open within a few months, though typical delays in processing could push them into August before they could open their doors.

Once open, 2 Fingers Social will be open from 4 pm to midnight, seven days a week, with the potential to expand in the future into both the lunch and late-night hours.

21 Replies to "2 Fingers Social on the way to South Delridge"

  • SCOTT D BUCKMILLER May 5, 2017 (2:44 pm)

    Hooray for a neighborhood bar within walking distance!

  • SWinWS May 5, 2017 (4:05 pm)

    Two horrays, glad to see a payday loan center turned into a local business!

  • Fyrpixie May 5, 2017 (4:19 pm)

    GREAT NEWS!!  You can bet this will be the place you want to hang out!!  Can’t wait!!!

     

  • Kimbee2 May 5, 2017 (4:34 pm)

    we look forward to being your customers! 

  • M May 5, 2017 (5:11 pm)

    This sounds like a great addition in our neighborhood and a big step forward from what’s gone on historically in this space. Grateful for the vegetarian options and kid-friendly intention. Looking forward to supporting this business within walking distance. 

  • AMD May 5, 2017 (5:57 pm)

    So excited!  Can’t wait to have more food/drinks within walking distance.  I’ll see you there!

  • West Coast Nomad May 5, 2017 (6:00 pm)

    Excited about this –looking forward to popping by!

  • Waikikigirl May 5, 2017 (7:26 pm)

    I thought I read somewhere that “Meat the Live Butcher” was out of business because of some multi-family building going up where he’s at???  Did he move to a new location?  Oh and good luck on this “bar”!

    • WSB May 5, 2017 (8:45 pm)

      No, Meat the Live Butcher is NOT out of business. You’re confusing his business with his family’s previous business Bernie & Boys Market, which closed years ago in Top Hat, on a site that is currently being developed into a large residential project. He’s been in South Delridge for almost five years. – Tracy

  • South Delridge Gal May 6, 2017 (2:15 am)

    Awesome news for our neighborhood! Good luck with the opening! 

  • Meyer May 6, 2017 (8:18 am)

    Can’t wait to try it

  • DRW May 6, 2017 (11:06 am)

    Three new places opening in the hood! This one will only be a couple of blocks from me! Stoked!

  • me meee May 6, 2017 (11:22 am)

    As if we dont have a 100000bars in white center and delridge already. So this isnt going to help the young crown. Its a bar for elder people. put a place for kids. Free. Get these kids off the street. 

    • WSB May 6, 2017 (11:41 am)

      If you have an idea for something, there are other available properties in South Delridge too. As for bars, yes, there are some in downtown White Center, but going the other way on Delridge, nothing I can think of until Tug Inn, and then nothing until Skylark and Ounces at the north end. The previous tenants in this property were a payday-loan business and marijuana dispensary – I don’t have a record of what preceded those. – TR

    • Rick May 7, 2017 (4:36 am)

      Well,looks like we’ll now have 100000 and 1 bars in White Center/Delridge.  There are plenty of ways to keep kids busy If one cares enough and is willing to invest the time.  I did.  Your user name pretty much says it all.

  • Brenda May 6, 2017 (1:39 pm)

    Excited that this will have food and be family friendly.  We are excited to check it out!

  • rg May 6, 2017 (2:59 pm)

    Sounds like a pipe dream.  expensive rent and top shelf liquor.  I wish you the best.  I will come by for “a” drink at some point.  

    • dawsonct May 9, 2017 (11:17 am)

      You prefer Monarch, I guess?
      And you have insider information on the rent? Care to share your source?
      Frankly, the “one” time you deign to award the proprietors your business, I hope to gawd I’m not there to suffer your insufferability.

  • Waikikigirl.2 May 6, 2017 (6:11 pm)

    I wasn’t confusing Meat the Butcher with his family business from forever ago, its just that I had read on another website that the property where he is located now was bought out and multi-family units were going up but obviously that other website was wrong and as usual the WSB is right.

    I can remember the original store being on 130th and 99…guess I’m showing my age with this!

    • WSB May 6, 2017 (6:31 pm)

      I checked to be sure. Nothing for the actual address, 9432 16th SW:

      http://web6.seattle.gov/DPD/PermitStatus/default.aspx?a=9432%2c%2c16TH%2cAVE%2cSW

      The building has not changed hands in six years. … and records show that wasn’t actually a sale … changing from a person’s name to an LLC in which that person is the majority member

    • miws May 6, 2017 (7:35 pm)

      I had read that also, somewhere,  and also feared that it was Meat the Live Butcher’s current location.  I don’t recall exactly how, but after a little more poking around I was able to figure out that it was the old Bernie and Boys on 1st South in Top Hat (former grocery store, long time ago Safeway) that they were talking about. 

      Mike

Sorry, comment time is over.