PORT HADLOCK — The Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building has raised nearly half the funds needed to save the Ajax Cafe, a Port Hadlock icon that closed in October because of complications in upgrading its septic system.
The school has raised more than $180,000 of the $375,000 needed to purchase the property, which sits sandwiched between school property, according to Betsy Davis, the boat school’s executive director.
“I’m excited about the amount of support we’re seeing from the community,” she said. “As of [Monday] morning we’ve had 133 people make gifts to this project. That’s a huge number.”
Ajax Cafe was a Port Hadlock landmark for 39 years but was forced to close in October because of a failing septic system.
Davis said the current system simply didn’t have the capacity needed and, despite a few community fundraisers and a GoFundMe campaign, cafe owner Kristan McCary was forced to close.
Now Davis plans to purchase the property, make the septic upgrades, incorporate the Ajax Cafe into the boat school campus and sign a long-term lease with the restaurant owner.
Davis said the boat school will move forward with the project as soon as possible. Two major factors will determine the timeline: when funding is secured and Jefferson County’s approval process for the septic system.
The system would be made possible by an easement with the boat school. It would use an area of the boat school’s upper campus as a drain field.
“Our purchase of the property is contingent on the septic plan being approved,” she said, adding she is confident it will be.
She said the purchase of the property fits in perfectly with the boat school’s long term plans of expanding its campus.
The restaurant’s property sits between the boat school’s upper campus and its lower campus on the water.
The purchase would join the upper and lower campuses, creating just one campus.
“If we look 50 years down the road, we know we need more space on campus, and right now we don’t have one unified campus,” she said.
She said the boat school has no interest in being in the restaurant business and would provide a long-term lease for the Ajax Cafe.
The proposed lease specifies a time period of 30 years with the option to renew. It will help to cover some of the septic project expenses but, according to Davis, the school doesn’t plan to make a profit.
She said the project isn’t something either entity could accomplish on its own and that it has continued to be a community effort.
She said donations have continued to come in steadily and she is appreciative of all the support the project has seen.
Tax deductible donations can be made online at www.nwswb.edu/savetheajax/.
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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.
