Yonder Bar:
The Original Home
of Yonder Cider

Our beloved Yonder Bar opened in August 2020, during the heart of the pandemic. Offering four-packs and growlers to go, our little garage-based cider ‘taproom’ brought a piece of joy to the Phinney Ridge neighborhood during one of the most challenging times.

Operating out of our founder’s home in Phinney Ridge, Yonder Bar was a first-of-its-kind business, selling cider to-go to passersby out of a garage. Located on a ‘Stay Healthy Street,’ walkers, runners and bikers alike were delighted to discover this hidden gem. We sold four-packs and growlers to go because in August 2020, during the height in the pandemic, that's all we could do! We opened the garage door for the first time on August 19, 2020 and barely got the cans in the cooler before neighbors were lining up to see what we had been working on for the past few months and to give our ciders a try. The excitement and support was overwhelming - and that was only the beginning.

Four months after opening, and after weeks of growing interest and excitement about Yonder Cider and Yonder Bar, we were told we had to shut down due to complaints, which turned out to all come from one person. We weren’t going down without a fight, let our community know what was happening and our fans rallied around us. We collected more than 5,000 signatures, supporters sent letters to City Council and media were showing up to tell our story. Caitlin Bram, our founder, spent months working with Seattle’s City Council to pass the “Bringing Business Home” bill, loosening home business regulations and allowing small businesses entrepreneurs like Yonder to get started in their garage. In the end, we only had to close for three weeks. Not only was Yonder Bar able to reopen, other garage-based businesses started popping up all across the city.

After a year and a half, our extension came to an end and it was time to close our beloved garage bar. We spent the final two months offering reservations to enjoy a pint IN Yonder Bar, raising more than $1,500 for the Phinney Neighborhood Association. And because it’s not our style to go quietly, we threw an epic Empire Records themed block party on Yonder Bar’s final day, complete with a band on top of the garage and ‘Damn the Man, Save the Empire’ koozies.

She might be closed now, but Yonder Bar will never be forgotten. It's where we got our start. It's where we made new friends - dog and human ones. It's where we fought for small business rights, passed bills and raised money for important causes during the pandemic. It's where we built the most amazing fan base anyone could ask for. ⁠