06/09/2026
Where will serial killers go for a pint?
Bellingham’s Waterfront Tavern has never exactly tried to be the city’s most polished establishment, and that has always been part of its charm. The property (Not the business) has now been sold to the owners of Gruff Brewing.
Located at 521 W. Holly Street, the tavern is one of those old-school bars that feels like it has collected decades of stories, spilled beer, and questionable decisions. It is also known for one of Bellingham’s darker bits of local lore: over the years, several infamous serial killers are said to have passed through the place. Rumors of Bundy, Bianchi, Ridgeway, and Kinney, and more recently, Muhammad.
So, with the property recently changing hands, it is hard to know where that niche clientele will go for a beverage between murders. All jokes aside, the Waterfront Tavern has multiple years on a lease and doesn't plan to close down anytime soon. Even after that, it is not clear what Gruff has in its plans.
Edit: clarity
