A longtime Fairhaven District restaurant will continue to have local ownership after its acquisition today by Brad Haggen of Bellingham. Skylark’s Hidden Café, a favorite of Bellingham residents and tourists since 1995, was purchased by Haggen from Don White. Terms were not disclosed.
Haggen said there was much to like about the family restaurant.
“First of all, I love the Fairhaven location,” he said. “It’s where my family and I grew up and went to school. Even my great-grandparents emigrated from Norway in the late 1800s and built a house on 23rd Street, which is still there.
“There is a good positive energy in Fairhaven, especially in the evenings and summer. Fairhaven has a constant tourist trade, especially with the transportation center including the Alaska ferry and Amtrak train. And Don has developed a loyal following of dedicated guests.”
Haggen doesn’t plan any immediate changes while he seeks feedback from customers and evaluates operations, although an updated décor is likely. He is retaining all of Skylark’s staff and promoting Chevy Robertson, a longtime employee, to general manager.
Haggen is president and CEO of Naples Best Restaurants, Inc., which he launched after selling his stake in 2012 in Haggen, Inc., a grocery retailer founded by his family. He acquired Tallulah’s, a restaurant in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, earlier this year. Haggen has more than 30 years of experience in business management, food service, catering, coffee, sales and marketing.
Skylark’s Hidden Café is located at 1308 11th St., serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily from 8 a.m. to midnight. For more information, call (360) 715-3642 or visit www.skylarkshiddencafe.com.
