Peter Johnson and his wife, Adrianna, are the new lessees of the space at the corner of 34th & E. Union occupied for the past 20 years by the Madrona Ale House, to be renamed Madrona Arms. The Irish-born Johnson has long had his eye on the spot, almost since he took his first job in Seattle at a tavern called Hank's (today the Attic) in Madison Park. When Burke Shethar's lease ended, Johnson stepped up.
Johnson grew up in the restaurant business. Born in Belfast, he was washing glasses in the shipyard pubs at the age of 15, and eventually found his way to the USA. After settling in Seattle, he and Adrianna launched a number of taverns: Finn McCool's in the U District, the Chieftain opposite Seattle University on Capitol Hill, and McGilvra's at the foot of Madison.
By mid-August, Johnson and his 14-year-old son, Michael, were ankle-deep into the refurbishing of the Madrona space. (Mother was in Poland with their two oldest boys.) Paul and Michael had toured London earlier this year, scouting out the typical neighborhood pubs they'd find at every Underground exit. "That's what we want here in Madrona," Johnson said. "A comfortable local."
He's going to install warm woodwork (floors, booths, back bar) throughout the 2,800-square-foot space, with seating for about 90. Flat-screens to watch sports (but "it's not a sports bar."). A full cocktail bar plus craft beers. A menu that goes beyond standard pub fare. (Soups, burgers, specials.) Early plans call for a late-afternoon happy hour plus dinner, with a late-night happy hour as well as brunch.
A temporary liquor license was issued mid-August. Now all that's left is, well, almost everything else. Chef, bartender, staff hiring and training. By the end of September, all should be ready.
"I want to make sure that everyone remembers to say 'thank you' to every guest," Johnson says. "Hello is nice, but good-bye and thank you are even more important."
Leave a comment