Eat, Drink and Be Merry at the Tumwater Craft District Market Building

Singer and songwriter Seth Stauffer, shown here performing at the Tumwater Craft District market building, likes taking song requests, performs country and Christian music, and covers rock, pop and country. Photo credit: Rebecca Sanchez
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In a city with a rich brewing tradition, people are showing excitement for the new Tumwater Craft District. Craft brews and ciders, food trucks, live music and art in the new market building all have people coming back for repeat outings. It’s a destination for family dinners, drinks with friends, pop-up vendor markets, seasonal events and soon outdoor concerts.

Tumwater Craft District Market Building Connects to Craft Brewing Roots

Tumwater’s brewery history is long loved, and the Craft District is expanding and proving to be a fitting location to embrace craft-made on all levels. Development began when local Olympia resident John Peters shared a tour of his family’s farm with City of Tumwater visitors who were curious about his hop growing in their local supply chain research. Conversations ensued about what Peter’s and his family were doing and what Tumwater was considering with its brewery district plan.

Eventually, Peters and private investment partners bought land along Tumwater Boulevard, just south of the old Olympia Brewing Company site. After building the first structure, a three-story building for the South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) brewing and distilling program and the Heritage Distilling Company, the market building project brings an additional shared space for crafters and makers.

“One of the bigger visions is taking the first step towards redevelopment of the former brewery, bringing the industry back, demonstrating what could be done and bringing that energy back to that area,” says Peters, a born and raised Olympian who is the co-owner and lead-developer of the Craft District. “We want to help make redevelopment of the former Olympia Brewery just a little bit easier.” 

SWAE Night Market at the Tumwater Craft District featured food varieties and additional vendors lining the hallways of the big market building corridor. Photo credit: Kirstin Smith Photos

Long, tall and resembling a lofty barn style, the market building focus is on crafts such as foods, brews, art and music made by people from this region. Inside, the Finnriver Farm & Cidery taproom brings cider crafted on an Olympic Peninsula, Chimicum farm. Mount Olympus Brewing taproom features brews from its Aberdeen brewery, and the new SPSCC brewing program tasting room Percival Creek is also at the market.

“The idea is to showcase the best of what’s being created in the Pacific Northwest,” Peters says and adds that the Craft District acts as a launchpad for that type of creation.  

Craft District Market Brings Families and Friends out for Art, Food, Music and Fun

The Craft District market building and outdoor space is very family friendly, date friendly and gathering-with-your-pals friendly. People are stopping in to grab an ice cream, to choose a locally made gift or to pick up fresh seafood for weekend grilling, and vendors are loving the interactions as much as the patrons.

Outside on the Tumwater Craft District market building patio area, people enjoy food truck vendors such as Abe’s Waffles and Bastard Pies. Photo credit Rebecca Sanchez

“The Craft District is wonderful,” says Tiffany Tanasse, Owner of Test Patch Studio. “That’s why I chose to have a shop in this place. It’s social. People are walking around. They’re out and about. Folks come and get ice cream and shop and have a beer, cider and good food. It’s nice to have the community feel like it’s coming back together. I appreciate that, and I wanted to be a part of it. Sunny days bring everybody out, and even if it’s raining, it’s a great place to come and socialize.” 

Tanasse loves the events that bring the community together such as monthly SWAE Night Market with additional vendors lining the corridor of the big market building. On one occasion there were 22 pop-up vendors and an espresso truck in the common area and outside in the beer garden. Even Tanasse, who makes everything at the Test Patch Studio, supports additional area crafters by selling wooden bowls made by an employee’s grandmother and cutting boards made by her own father.

Artist Julie Kluh showcases her Pacific Northwest landscapes in the Kluh Art Gallery in the market building too. Olympia Seafood has tanks with live crab and an array of seafood in the case, and Tumwater Taco Company is set to have a Tequila and Mezcal bar. Both Sweetlee’s Ice Cream waffle cone smells and Nana Pattaya Thai Express smells waft through the dining areas.

3 people with ice cream cones and and a dog pose for a photo
The Tumwater Craft District market building is family friendly and has a Sweetlee’s Ice Cream shop inside, from which the aromas of baked waffle cones float throughout the corridor. Photo credit: Rebecca Sanchez

Outdoor Amphitheater at Tumwater Craft District

Outdoor seasonal events and music concerts are in the forecast for the 2,000-seat amphitheater on the grassy knoll at the Tumwater Craft District. Anything from weddings to movie nights to seasonal festivals and open-air concerts is on the horizon. The open space provides yet another venue for crafters and creators, adding to the rich element that music has already brought to the market building. Local musician Seth Stauffer sang and played acoustic guitar inside the market building, sending music throughout the long corridor.

“Growing up in Tumwater, I always thought we needed a place for people to gather, and now we have it,” says Stauffer who is also a City of Tumwater police officer. “As special as this community is, it deserves a special place. I’m excited to be part of it.”

Special and ever changing through pop up events and more activity planned with an amphitheater coming, the market space is a must see. “It’s continually growing, but there are amazing businesses open right now,” Peters says. “No need to wait to come and check it out.” Visit the Tumwater Craft District website and Instagram to learn more about the latest events happening.

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