Bellingham Then & Now: Horseshoe Cafe

Like Morse Hardware, the Horseshoe is one of the longest-running businesses in Bellingham, and has had a couple of homes over the course of its centenarian life. 

The oldest continually operating diner in Bellingham, the Horseshoe originally opened in 1886. Unlike the Fairhaven Hotel that opened just a few years later, the Horseshoe didn’t cater to society’s elite; instead it was a working-class hotspot. Today the menu features homey comfort food: burgers, sandwiches, and all-day breakfast, plus patrons can belly up to the bar for beer and whiskey options.

The Horseshoe has been at its current location on East Holly since the late 1950s, and prior to that was in the same area, just across the street. It was renovated in 2015 but some of its characteristic features remain.

The Western vibe and artwork accumulated over the decades, and current owner Barb Groen recalls a story handed down: that much of it was created by “a customer working off a bar tab.” (source)

The mural across the front facade? That’s a new addition from 2019, and the work of Ramsey Robin Rye.  Speaking of murals, the alley behind the cafe has its own surprise: a whimsical mural by local artist Gretchen Leggitt (read the story behind it in the artist’s own words here).

Buildings come and go, owners change and businesses move. In each iteration of the Horseshoe Cafe, we see themes that transcend the decade: community grounding, good food, and beauty through artistic expression. These take different forms from generation to generation and that is simply the pace of life in this world. While business ebbs and flows, the deep human need for community...and for beauty...remain. 

Recently the Horseshoe Cafe has changed again. Like many other establishments, it closed temporarily in response to current events. But like Morse Hardware just a few blocks away, this old place has survived world wars and depressions: its very history holds whispers of hope through resilience for us today.

Sources

Gallagher, Dave. (2015). Bellingham’s iconic Horseshoe Cafe set to reopen. Bellingham Herald. Link.

Gallagher, Dave (2015). New owners freshening up Bellingham’s 129-year old-old Horseshoe Cafe. Bellingham Herald. Link.

The Horseshoe Cafe website.

Images

Then: Jack Carver via Whatcom Museum & the Horseshoe Cafe About page.

Now: Cooper Hansley

Blog copy by Tiffany Holden