In the Jan. 16 story, “Will that be shaken, stirred or both?” about the new bar, The In Between, bar manager Sophia Elan makes some statements about the iconic Town Tavern that are far removed from the actual history of the N.D. Hill Building which housed the tavern.

The Town Tavern was never a commune. From 1973-1989, the tavern and building were owned by the same people, and that made it possible to set up a barter system for employees who could work in exchange for a room upstairs, board, and all the beer they could drink.

As for the actual bar in The In Between, it probably did come from the N.D. Hill Building, but I doubt if it was the bar that was in the Town Tavern from 1929-2001. When the last owner of the Town Tavern lost his lease, he gutted the space and sold the historic pieces of the tavern interior.

According to a Leader story dated Feb. 22, 2006, the old Town Tavern bar was sold to an Irish pub in Connecticut.

When the Town Tavern closed, Maxwell’s opened in the spot after some renovation and the purchase of another antique bar to replace the one that was removed from the Town Tavern.

Maxwell’s was followed by Water Street Brewing. When that tavern closed, the space was once again gutted and the bar removed. I suspect this is the bar that is now in The In Between.

The In Between owner Kris Nelson does own the famous painting that hung above the Town Tavern bar, and it is the real thing. Thank you for preserving that piece of history, Kris!

JENNY WESTDAL
Port Ludlow