EDITOR’S NOTE: This has continued to be a frequently asked question in the WSB inbox, with an empty space in the heart of The Junction sporting “Coming Soon: The Hydrant” in its window since before Summer Fest in 2015. Our newest WSB contributing reporter reached the proprietor.
Story and photo by Tony Lystra
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
After nearly three years, the West Seattle Junction’s bar for dogs and their owners may finally soon become a reality.
Since 2015, Beya Mark and her husband Cliff have been planning to open a bar called The Hydrant that serves both humans and dogs. The bar would be next door to the Marks’ upscale pet store, Next to Nature, in the 4500 block of California SW.
But the windows at The Hydrant’s proposed location, a prime piece of Junction real estate, have been papered over for all this time. An interim liquor license to serve beer and wine is still posted on the door; it expired Jan. 11, 2016. The mysteriously shuttered storefront has become a neighborhood curiosity.
Beya Mark, who leases the storefront with her husband, said a family emergency delayed the bar’s opening. Now, she tells WSB, preparations for opening are nearly complete.
“The Hydrant is definitely still on,” she said.
Beya Mark said the bar could open this summer, but at this point she’s reluctant to make promises.
She said The Hydrant will serve European and local wines, beer, and high-end coffee. It will be a sort of community hub for dog lovers, she said.
Because businesses that allow dogs can’t serve food under state food safety rules, Beya Mark said she plans to partner with nearby restaurants so people can order a bite to eat and enjoy it at The Hydrant.
“It’s a lifestyle,” she said of being out in the neighborhood with your dog. “We want people to just be able to come in and relax.”
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