One Couple Now Runs Both Corners at Front and Seventh. That Sets the Clock for a Lynden Evening.

On July 16, a new sign went up at 655 Front St. It renamed The Mill at Seventh as The Encore Lounge. By then, Heather and Branden Brink had already been managing the restaurant for about three months, according to the Lynden Tribune. The Brinks also own The Newsroom Pub, which is directly across the street.

So the intersection at the center of downtown Lynden's evenings now has one set of owners on both sides, and their two schedules shape how a night out works. Tuesday through Saturday, the two corners split the evening between them. On Sunday and Monday, Encore is dark and the evening moves to other addresses. This fall's calendar adds a theater premiere, a holiday market, a Messiah and a parade route that goes right past both doors.

What changed at 655 Front, and what stayed

The Mill at Seventh belonged to Linda and Mark Wohlrab before the Brinks bought it. Branden Brink told the Tribune he wanted Encore to be something the pub across the street isn't. He and Heather "saw an opportunity to create a concept that would complement The Newsroom Pub while offering Lynden a different kind of experience."

Former Mill regulars will recognize the room. Heather Brink explained why the couple kept it, in the same Lynden Tribune story:

"The wood paneling, lighting and overall atmosphere create an immediate sense of warmth that people often comment on the moment they walk through the door."

Some of the menu carried over too. The crostini, the flatbread pizzas and the French dip are still on it. New dishes include whiskey onion beef sliders, a wedge salad, Mediterranean chicken, maple-glazed balsamic short ribs and cottage pie. The biggest change is behind the bar. The Bellingham Herald reported that the drink list centers on classic cocktails and includes some made with spirits from Doc Swinson's, a distillery in Ferndale. Bar manager Joseph Coté runs the cocktail program. He has worked at The Newsroom Pub since October 2025, and the Tribune describes his role as covering both businesses.

The Encore Lounge is open 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It's closed Sunday and Monday.

Across the street, in the old printing room

The Newsroom Pub at 608 Front St. is in the former Lynden Tribune building, which housed the paper's printing operation for 41 years. The pub opened in June 2022. Its name, suggested by Alida Hanson, was chosen to reflect what the building used to be. It serves locally sourced food alongside rotating draft beer and cider, plus wine.

The Newsroom and Encore play different roles on the corner because their hours start and end at different times. The pub opens at 11 a.m. every day and stays open until 8 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 9 p.m. Thursday and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Encore opens at 4 p.m. and runs on a five-night week. Tuesday through Saturday, the corner offers both a pub and a cocktail lounge. On Sunday and Monday, The Newsroom is the only one of the pair that's open.

Sunday and Monday belong to other addresses

Once Encore closes for the week, the evening spreads out along Front Street and a few blocks away. These are the hours each business posts for those two nights:

On Mondays, the latest options are the Rustlers bar and Overflow Taps, which both stay open until 10 p.m. On Sundays, the Rustlers bar is open until 9 p.m., an hour after the other spots on the list close.

Sirens Cove is the newest name in the table. It's also the only one off Front Street, out on Duffner Drive. Cascadia Daily News reported the taphouse open by mid-August. Kids are welcome, pets can join you on the patio, and the small food menu comes with permission to bring outside food. The hours in the table come from that August report, so check the Sirens Cove website before a Sunday visit. When owner Marlea Pitman announced the opening in the Whatcom Business Journal, she said the idea drew on Lynden's Dutch heritage and described it as "more than just a taproom."

Opening night is a Thursday, and closing time matters

On Thursday, Oct. 29, the Jansen Art Center at 321 Front St. opens the West Coast premiere of "Rathskeller: A Musical Elixir." It's an original two-act musical with a live orchestra. Brianna Kothari Barnes wrote the book, music and lyrics, and Dame Productions is credited with the concept. Andrew Cooper, the Jansen's artistic director, heard the concept album and decided to put the show in the 2026–27 season, according to the production's own account. Cooper is directing. Matthew Twining, Tara Hansen, Ella Hieronymus, Tony Dvoracek, Bonnie Hollingsworth, Erin Connolly, Maria Miller and Laura Williams-French play the principal roles. BroadwayWorld announced the premiere in July.

The story deals with addiction, forgiveness and redemption. The Jansen rates it T+, recommended for ages 13 and up, because of strong language, emotionally intense scenes and scenes showing alcohol use. Performances run Oct. 29–31 and Nov. 5–7 from 7 to 9 p.m. General admission is $25, and VIP seats are $35.

That 9 p.m. finish runs into the hours at Front and Seventh. On the two Thursdays, Oct. 29 and Nov. 5, Encore and The Newsroom both close at 9, right as the show lets out. Overflow Taps and the Rustlers bar both list 10 p.m. closings Monday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday shows, both corners stay open until 10, so there's an hour left after the curtain at either one.

December 5 runs the length of Front Street

The rest of the season adds events on the same street.

1. Nov. 13–14, Red Barn Market. This holiday market is at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds. Friday has VIP entry from 3 to 6 p.m. and general admission from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors fill the Peoples Bank Farm Pavilion and the WECU Expo Building.
2. Dec. 4–5, "Handel's Messiah." The Lynden Choral Society performs at Lynden American Reformed Church, 8868 Northwood Rd. Shows are Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $50 for a family and $10 for students.
3. Dec. 5, Northwest Lighted Christmas Parade. The parade starts at 6 p.m. at the Fairway Shopping Center at Front and 17th. It heads east on Front Street and ends at 3rd Street.

That route goes past Seventh Street, so the parade passes between The Newsroom and Encore on its way to 3rd. It also passes Rustlers' Front Street Grill and Avenue Bread on the same stretch. The Jansen sits a block past the finish. Dec. 5 is a Saturday, which means the Messiah matinee ends hours before the 6 p.m. step-off. It also means both corners at Front and Seventh are open until 10 that night, according to their posted hours. For the Chamber's parade details, check the event page in the days before.

I've lived in Birch Bay and Blaine since 2008, and keeping up with which room on Front Street is open on which night is one of the ways I follow the towns I work in. If you're thinking about a home within walking distance of downtown Lynden, or you want to know how the streets around the parade route change through the year, Christine Rasmussen is glad to talk it through. Let's Connect.