Blackbird Bakery & Café announces grand opening
Ed Beeson (red t-shirt) is flanked by his staff at the new Blackbird Bakery & Café. PHOTO BY JENNY ADKINS | STANWOOD/CAMANO NEWS
Open a new business in the middle of a recession?
Most people would advise, “RUN! Run fast. Run NOW!”
But most people are not Ed and Joanne Beeson, owners of Stanwood’s newest eatery, Blackbird Bakery & Café.
Ed Beeson has been known before to tie on his magic flour sack cape and take that famous leap of faith — the one that separates the risk takers from the “play-it-safers.”
Beeson’s long history in the restaurant business began in 1970 while attending college. That’s when he learned how to run a restaurant. In 1977, he opened Edible’s Soup, Salad, Sandwich & Breakfast in Seattle’s Pioneer Square.
Success and a desire for country livin’ led him to Duvall, where he owned The Silver Spoon Restaurant. The old Grange hall became legendary for great food and the occasional concert upstairs.
It was the concerts at the Spoon that led to a 25- year career in the music business as owner of The Backstage in Ballard. He became concert producer, talent buyer, and consultant.
N
ow, he’s back to his
favorite lifetime experience — running a small café in a small town.
Joanne, his wife and business partner, divides her time between the new bakery and her day job as a social worker with Housing Hope, a private, non-profit agency providing housing to homeless families in Snohomish County.
Joanne has a passion for sweet, gooey baked goods and has spent many moments baking cookies, brownies and pies. She paid her way through school working in bakeries and restaurants.
After the Beesons thought of opening a bakery in Stanwood, they did their research.
Ed visited with folks in the community, met with local businesses, and talked with other restaurant owners, asking residents of Stanwood and Camano Island what they wanted.
They heard a keen interest in the slow food movement — local, sustainable, organic and wholesome. Residents said they wanted a café that served good healthy food that is also delicious and quick.
When the space that was once Maxime’s Global Cuisine became available, Ed grabbed it. He hired a meticulous and passionate baker, Tobey Layne, to steer the bakery and a staff of cheerful folks who were committed to creating a friendly venue.
The café features vintage tablecloths, fun art and a nice big window. Upstairs, there’s room to relax in an over-stuffed couch in front of the fireplace or take in the views of Port Susan and the Olympics from the outdoor deck, due to open soon. Also upstairs, a private dining area is available for meetings or parties.
The Blackbird Bakery & Café opened quietly in April, and now they are celebrating their grand opening through the month of June, with happy hour specials and lots of fun promotions, at 10007 270th St., on the last stretch of the town’s original red-brick Main Street, just a short block north of SR 532.
Hours are easy to remember: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. Weekend brunch is served 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
