by Shaun Knittel - SGN Contributing Writer

The WestsideSeattle.com announced last September that White Center would see its first LGBTQ bar, The Lumber Yard (9619 16th SW), open for business by the end of the year. The Lumber Yard was elated to open its doors to the public last Friday, January 5.

The Lumber Yard co-owner Nathan Adams told WestsideSeattle.com,'Michale and I moved to the neighborhood 5 years ago, and have enjoyed watching it change and grow. The amazing diversity and acceptance of the community made choosing White Center a great choice for our adventure, The Lumber Yard Bar.'

Adams went on to say, 'The Lumber Yard Bar is a dream my husband (Michale) and I have had for several years. After much searching we chose the location at 9619 16th Ave SW, and have started the building process.'

According to Adams, The Lumber Yard will 'use a mix of different woods and industrial lighting to make a warm and inviting space for all to gather.'

Adams says the space is much larger than it looks at just over 2000 square feet, boasting a main floor upstairs and a downstairs.

'So, what do we want to make of the space?' Adams asks. 'The Lumber Yard will be the first and only LGBTQ bar in White Center. We are creating a space that will be all inclusive to the entire community.'

Adams says the bar will serve as an extension of their living room - right in their own backyard.

'You don't have to go to the Hill anymore,' Farrar said to WestsideSeattle.com. 'We're going to draw people from everywhere. It will be a destination, a place where people want to hang out.'

The bar plans to host a karaoke night, drag shows, trivia nights and more.

Adams and Farrar say the bar will have a kitchen to serve something they call 'hearty bar fare' that will also offer vegetarian and gluten-free options on the menu, as well as rotating specials.

The two men searched for a location in Georgetown but they could not find any available spaces. Finally, they decided to look in their own neighborhood, White Center, and settled on the current location.

Initially, Adams says that calling the business an LGBTQ bar seemed to confuse people.

'People kept coming in and asking what an LGBTQ bar is,' Adams said. 'If you call it a Gay bar, you're not being inclusive of the entire community.'

For more information visit the bar's official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/The-Lumber-Yard-Bar-1688138674813238/.

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