MÉTIER BREWING COMPANY

Location:  Seattle, Washington
Type:  Commercial

Situated in the Central District, the new Cherry Street Taproom is the Seattle flagship for Métier Brewing Co., Washington state’s first Black-owned brewery based in nearby Woodinville, Washington. Founder Rodney Hines, a longtime resident of the Central District, was eager to bring his community focused mission and craft beer to the neighborhood. The Central District is historically one of Seattle’s most diverse and formerly a major hub for black-owned businesses, a tradition that community leaders are currently working hard to recapture.

The taproom occupies a former auto garage that had been out of use for years and had fallen into disrepair. Graham Baba Architects embraced the modest building as a launching point and sought to create a lot out of a little to bring the structure into a vibrant second chapter. The concrete shell of the garage remains virtually intact, with a small addition constructed on the west, alley side of the property to house storage and utility space for the taproom. A new, larger entry door was added, and the windowless doors were replaced with a pair of glass overhead doors that bring light and visibility into the interior whether opened or closed. The most dramatic addition is a large covered and heated patio that more than doubles the seating area for the taproom. Sliding glass doors on two sides allows the patio to have various levels of enclosure depending on season, and the seating is mixed between larger community tables and more dispersed, lounge seating.

Sheets of plywood clad the east wall of the patio in a running bond pattern that continues on the interior wall of the taproom, rounding the corner to become the front face of the bar. With such a small building, the double-height interior is left as open as possible, with the bathrooms and the scullery tucked into a block along the east wall, creating a generous storage loft space above. The walk-in refrigerator and additional back-of house space is contained within the addition on the west of the building, keeping the rest of the interior free. Plywood is also applied to the ceiling, surrounding four large skylights the bring additional light into the interior. The high walls of the space provide ample mural space for artwork commissioned by the owner. To preserve the neighborhood taproom feel, the palette is simple and restrained throughout, allowing the strength of Métier’s brand, and their beer, to shine.

Photography:  Zack Bent