Obsidian: Olympia Locals Chris Beug and Nathan Weaver Bring us a Music Venue and Cafe

obsidian olympia
Co-owner Chris Beug, along with bar managers Danielle Ruse and Howie Clark, chill out near the Obsidian’s gorgeous bar during a rare quiet moment at the establishment.
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By Kelli Samson

creative officeI’ll admit it.

When I drove by 414 4th Avenue East in Olympia this fall and saw the windows papered and a new sign being painted by Ira Coyne (designed by Glyn Smith), I was skeptical. In the last decade or so, it feels like many businesses have tried to thrive in this space, only to fold. Jezebels was the latest establishment to close in this very location.

When the window paper finally came down and I strolled by one day, I started to feel I might be wrong in having judged this spot as cursed. With Portland’s Stumptown Coffee the du jour (this is the only place in town that serves it), raw-edged planks of varnished maple as bar tops, chandeliers hanging from the tall ceilings, floor boards from old telephone poles, and cafe hours that actually last past 4:00 p.m. (something sort of shocking for coffee shops in Olympia, I have discovered), I decided that Obsidian stands out by blending in.

obsidian olympia
Co-owner Chris Beug, along with bar managers Danielle Ruse and Howie Clark, chill out near the Obsidian’s gorgeous bar during a rare quiet moment at the establishment.

If you’re looking for a spot to hang out in downtown Olympia that will not let you forget that you’re living in the Pacific Northwest, Obsidian’s your jam.

Both the food and the cocktail menus, along with the decor, reflect the seasons and the natural world around us, changing every few months to mirror the surroundings of this uniquely breathtaking place that we get to call home.

For the Yule season, the space is currently draped in mossy branches, bringing a little bit of the outdoors inside. As spring arrives, the menu will rely more upon floral ingredients. With summer, it will turn toward an herbal focus.

Owners and musicians Chris Beug and Nathan Weaver are born-and-raised local boys. “We started going to shows at the Capitol Theater’s Back Stage, The Midnight Sun, and at Evergreen in our teens. This evolved into starting a band and putting on shows. It quickly became clear that this was what we wanted to do with our lives. It’s been a long road,” shares Beug.

Located directly across the street from downtown’s Artesian well, Obsidian had its Grand Opening in mid-December. Beug and Weaver crafted a dependable team to make their dream a reality.

obsidian olympia
By day, Obsidian is the perfect place for coffee and studying, as exhibited by The Evergreen State College student Jamie Commins.

“There’s quite the collection of quality folk here at Obsidian. Our cafe is run by Heather Penny, who has been working in high-end coffee for nearly twenty years. She has brought that experience and talent to our espresso and tea blends with glorious results. Johnny Atlas, a long standing stalwart of culinary excellence, runs our kitchen with an iron fist. His recipes and dedication are nothing short of fantastic. We just brought on Howie Clark, one of the founders of Seattle favorite ‘The Highline,’ as our bar manager. He’s taking over for Danielle Ruse, who is moving to LA to focus on her writing. Many of our employees are also extremely talented performers and can be caught throwing down at many of our events,” explains Beug.

Friends of mine have been raving about the artisan waffles served here at brunch, along with the cozy dinners. For me, I can’t get enough of the Black Chai tea. In fact, tea lovers are currently going bananas for Obsidian’s own house tea blends. Radiance, Rishi, and Rose Root are also sources for their teas. Most ingredients are organic and sourced locally, and there are gluten-free options.

Owners Beug and Weaver take the term “locally-sourced” to a whole new level. The bread for their paninis comes from the Blue Heron Bakery, and the pastries are from Abby’s and the Bearded Lady. “Our smoked salmon is from the Nisqually Indian Tribe. Many of our other ingredients come the Olympia Food Co-Op. We get our meat from Stewart’s Meats out in Yelm. We’ve got Magic Kombucha and Oly Kraut. Nathan’s father made our tables, and we finished them ourselves,” says Beug.

obsidian olympia
The cafe is spacious and currently decorated to reflect the dark months of winter.

Some wisdom for the new establishment has also come from local businesses. Says Beug: “We get a lot of support from our neighbors at The Eastside Club, the Voyeur, McCoy’s, and Cryptatropa. We’ve gotten a lot of good advice on beer and hard cider from the folks at Gravity Beer Market and Skep and Skein.”

Obsidian is the perfect place to come in out of the Pacific Northwest drizzle, whether it’s for coffee, pastries, a candlelit dinner, fancy seasonal cocktails, or a local brew. And if you want to see a band or listen to a DJ spin, they’ve got you covered, there, too, for sure.

“Olympia has long been known as a hub of Pacific Northwest culture, particularly in the realm of music. We love this community. We’d like to see it remain a vibrant and inspiring place to live. We both feel extremely grateful for this opportunity. Our goal has been to create a space that will add to Olympia’s rich cultural history,” assures Beug.

Obsidian, we’ve been waiting for an establishment like you to come to a rainy, music-loving city like ours. Welcome to downtown Olympia. We already love you.

Check out Obsidian on Facebook for now, as their website is not quite finished.

obsidian olympia
The cafe and bar out front are just the pearly gateways to Obsidian’s real focus, the performance space in back.

414 4th Ave. E

Olympia, WA

(360) 890-4425

 

Hours:

Sun-Wed: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Thurs-Sat: 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.

Beer and wine available after 12:00 p.m.

Bar opens at 5:00 p.m.

Cafe closes at 6:00 p.m.

 

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