Kyle Duce, owner of Seattle’s new neighborhood watering hole, contacted me a while back to let us know he was so inspired by our Wiley pendant that he used it as the inspiration for his whole restaurant! I was so intrigued that I had to get in touch with Kyle to learn more. Before we delve into our little Q&A, let’s talk gift certificates for just a moment — specifically, how you can win one to Rejuvenation or Locöl. It’s pretty simple, really. Stop by Rejuvenation Seattle and mention this blog post. We’ll throw your name in the hat for a $100 Locöl gift certificate. But wait, there’s more! Stop by Locöl and mention this post, and, guess what? Why, they’ll throw your name in the hat to win a $100 Rejuvenation gift certificate. The only rule? You have to enter between September 16th and October 2nd. Easy, right?

Now, let’s get to our conversation with Kyle from Locol.

Our inspirational Wiley

• You said you designed the look of the bar around Wiley? Can you tell us a little more about that?

When we started discussing the concept we really wanted a rustic, cozy environment that enticed people to warm up during those long winters but still be appealing during summer.  When we came across the Wiley it had everything we wanted.  The rustic wood handle, metal cage and filament bulb. These elements were a perfect balance of what we were looking for.  We then mapped  out our slab-wood bartop, tables, and metal features found throughout the bar.

• Did you do the design work and buildout yourself, or did you work with a designer?  I sat down with my business partner, Shane Whittal, and my wife. Together we designed the layout and interior design elements.  Without our amazing contractors, Brian Okroy and BJ Kaiser, none of this could have been possible.  During the buildout they would have new ideas, and usually it would be a collaborative effort amongst everyone.  We were able to find a lot of  the elements used in the bar at Second Use in Seattle( A store that sells everything from antiques to old windows and doors.)  It’s a great way to take something that would normally end up in a landfill and turn it into art.

The Beer Menu

• What’s your favorite menu item? What was the inspiration for that dish?  We have two things on our menu that are very popular and yummy!  The first is our Baked Kale Chips. We massage the Kale in our homemade balsamic dressing, bake them with a few spices, and top them off with lemon zest to add a fresh zip that helps balance the kale.  The Chips pair really well with certain wines and local beers, and are a fun and healthy way to start your dinner.   Locöl’s Pulled Pork Sandwich is OUTSTANDING, probably my favorite.  We slow roast the pork with fennel, horseradish, and a few other secret ingredients, then put it on a fresh Macrina roll with horseradish-infused mustard and a Pickled Apple and Onion Slaw.  Locöl wanted to take a traditional sandwich and add an appealing twist, and it’s now our staple item!

• What’s the experience you hope your guests will have at Locöl? When someone comes into Locöl for the first time our whole staff gets excited!  We love sharing stories about our concept and our locally sourced food, beer and wine. We also enjoy just making sure they kick back and relax and hopefully meet a neighbor and engage themselves outside of the busy world we live in. Locöl has NO TV. We have done this to encourage people to engage with the staff and the people sitting around them.  We are a laidback neighborhood bar/restaurant that allows you to be yourself and indulge in some of the best things our beautiful NW has to offer!

• Any other interesting design inspirations or fun stories about the building? Age? Historic context, etc?  Our building used to be an old grocery store in the early to mid 1900s.  When we started digging in the back for the patio we came across the original hand-painted sign for Cody’s Grocery and Market, buried about five feet underground.  It can be found hanging above our little kitchen for everyone to see. We also found old Whiskey bottles that can now be seen throughout the bar.

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