San Juan Island’s Brickworks Opens its Doors

We congratulate the San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild and their community on the successful opening of the Brickworks, a community facility in the center of Friday Harbor.  In their words:

The Brickworks Project is a major initiative by the San Juan Islands Agriculture Guild to re-purpose an historic property in the heart of Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, Washington.  Situated at 150 Nichols Street in Friday Harbor and taking its name from its original role, the project most prominently includes the restoration of the original building and its re-purposing, along with an outdoor Plaza, Green and Stage, to provide a community gathering place for a variety of local food-based, educational and cultural activities and events.

The Grand Opening of the Brickworks Building on June 15, 2013 represented the culmination of a seven year journey of committed volunteers and financial supporters to realize the dream of a dedicated indoor/outdoor facility to house the San Juan Islands Farmers Market.  In this capacity it now provides farmers, food purveyors and craftspeople as well as consumers – both residents and visitors – with a year-round central facility in the heart of Friday Harbor.  With hosting of the Friday Harbor Art Market and a variety of one-time music and cultural events,  Brickworks has already begun serving its broader purpose as a gathering place and venue for other community interests as well, including art and craft markets, music and cultural activities as well as special events.

With the soon-to-be-added Community Kitchen, the facility will be even better positioned to serve as a significant economic driver for the island’s economy, bringing new life and sense of community to a previously underdeveloped and neglected part of the Friday Harbor downtown area.  As a fully equipped facility, Brickworks is expected to rapidly become a favored Friday Harbor venue, not just for Ag Guild sponsored events such as its upcoming educational programs, but also for independent events, conferences, workshops, weddings, dinners, and the like.  Rental income from these events is anticipated to make the facility economically self-sustaining – a key Ag Guild objective.

The above article is from the Brickworks website. You can follow Brickworks on Facebook