After its grand opening in February, Time & Materials Taphouse is continuing to stay busy with the Bellingham beer community.
Located at the corner of State and Laurel streets Time & Materials is the newest business to open in the downtown Bellingham area and is the first of two new taphouses to open this year– El Sueñito is slated to open next month.
Inspired by the bond of quality craftsmanship, local building materials and community, owners Blake Hudson and Matt Shaver mix locally-sourced beer and wine with a simple yet robust menu of food items.
Hudson and Shaver became acquaintances through running in the same circles in the Whatcom County construction scene. After discussing their shared dream to own a collective space for other craftsmen to collaborate, the idea for Time & Materials was born in the early months of 2021.
The courtyard property owned by Hudson called Hudson Yard is home to multiple craftsmen in the construction field including glassblowers, carpenters, metal workers and a real estate office.
Shaver is the owner of Foundation Restoration, a concrete company based in Bellingham. Together, the two were able to complete construction on the taphouse in just one year before the grand opening on Feb. 26.
Jacquie Goddard, General Manager of Time & Materials, has worked to create a new and original space for Bellingham locals and visitors alike.
When asked about the ambiance of the restaurant, Goddard smiled and said, “nothing matches this place.”
The entrance to Time and Materials Taphouse is at the corner of State and Laurel St in Bellingham, Wash. // Photo by Sam Kristofferson
The design for the interior and exterior of the taphouse was inspired by a love for raw materials like wood and glass. The space showcases locally sourced materials curated and installed by local craftsmen, some of whom work out of Hudson Yard.
“This space is to show how wonderful design can be – we wanted the materials to speak for themselves,” Goddard said.
Along with a custom-made bar made from locally sourced lumber, the Tap Tower, which has 20 taps of rotating craft beers and ciders, was designed and manufactured just behind the restaurant by Hudson’s company Hewed Designs. As a centerpiece to the space, the Tap Tower is a testament to the idea of local craftsmanship and quality beer.
Operating a business during a pandemic is no easy feat. Other breweries in the area like Stemma Brewing made the move to package their product during the pandemic to help their business continue to grow.
Now, things are starting to look like pre-pandemic days according to owner Kimberley Harper.
“We’re keeping busy by having fun and making good beer,” Harper said.
Since the two owners have worked in the Bellingham construction scene for years, the word of a new taphouse in downtown Bellingham traveled fast through the county. The restaurant’s Instagram account already has over 1,500 followers after two months of business, and the reviews on Google are all positive.
Bellingham is known for having a lot of breweries and taphouses; places like Juxt, Gruff and Structures Brewing are some of the more popular breweries in the downtown area and are all competing business with Time & Materials.
However, Time & Materials is set apart by the fact that to enter the establishment you do not need to be 21 or older. To Kiley Frank, a place like this would have been nice before she turned 21.
“I definitely missed out on things with friends because I couldn’t go in with them,” Frank said. “I think [Time & Materials] is great, it creates an environment where people can still hang out and connect.”
Time & Materials has curated a simple yet modern menu to pair with the rotating tap list.
Current menu items include Green Bean Fries, a Tampa Cubano sandwich, as well as their take on a classic charcuterie board called “T&M Boards.” Weekly specials and seasonally rotating items are coming soon at Time & Materials as well.
This summer, the restaurant plans on hosting summer-themed events in the courtyard of Hudson Yard. Pig roasts, live music and vendor/artists markets are just a few that Time & Materials hopes to host this coming summer. For more information, you can check Time & Materials out on Instagram.
Sam Kristofferson is a City Life Writer for The Front and is a third-year majoring in Journalism with an emphasis in Audio Production and Photography. Originally from Ventura, CA, Sam enjoys living life on trail, brewing pour-over coffee, and catching bands like Phish, Dave Matthews Band, and Wilco in concert.
You can reach Sam at samkristofferson.thefront@gmail.com.
