Communication in the Community: Ice Harbor Brewing Company

I once made the mistake of ordering a Coors Light in this pub. It was served to me in a paper bag. “What’s with the paper bag?” I inquired to the bartender who was very serious about my beer wrapping. “It’s so the locals don’t hassle you” he responded. Looking around the pub, I don’t see a whole lot of paper bags. In fact, mine is the only one. Could I really have been the only person here who ordered a bottled beer? As it turns out, I was. The patrons of this pub, known for its micro brews, range in age from the barely legal to the more refined generations. And they apparently know more about the beer here than I do. Ice Harbor was established in 1997 and has since grown their wide customer base not just by serving great beer, but also by serving their community. Ice Harbor didn’t get to be known around the Tri-Cities by just having good beer. Marketing, and an active presence at local events have helped this community connect the name “Ice Harbor Brewery” to Tri-cities. Mike Hall, owner of the pub, states they participate in about 40 community events each year. These events range from small private weddings, to weekly concerts in the park, to the largest event of our community, the yearly Water Follies. Of course, you don’t leave your mark on a community just by showing up to their events to sell your product; you leave that mark by how you serve your community. In addition to a great amount of money given to local events and charities, “I’ve never seen Mike turn anyone away who’s asked for a raffle donation” quotes Freeman, a long time pub employee. Ice Harbor has two locations. One, a pub and family restaurant, brings together food, beer, and ambiance reflective of the Columbia Basin. The “Ice Harbor, Clover Island” is a brightly decorated establishment. A nautical theme, common to the Columbia River serves central to the pub’s décor. The walls are lined with pictures, news clippings, and other tokens representative of the Columbia River and Valley. I look up to my right at one of the news clippings. It is a picture of George Bush II, shaking hands with some workers. The caption reads “President Bush visits Ice Harbor Dam, August 22nd, 2003”. Looking around at the dining families, one wonders if parents are teaching their children the benefit of supporting local business. In a world of PF Changs, McDonalds, and Applebees, a successful small pub/restaurant can be hard to find. It hasn’t always been years of patrons filling the pubs, or a continual presence throughout the community. Ice Harbor has become successful the same way most do – through years of hard work and learning from failure. “The first seven years were really rough for the business” says Hall. “We tried radio, television, rural marketing – people went back to other part time jobs, invested more of their money into the business, and did what they needed to make the business go” says Hall. Today, it seems those efforts have paid off.
I tell the waiter I want the dish most reflective of the “Ice Harbor” pub (and one that will compliment my tangerine “Exbeerience” Hefeweizen). He recommends the Halibut and Chips – because the batter on the fish is made with the pubs own pale ale as a base. Though I’m not a particular fan of fried foods, I know this Halibut will be different, and perhaps much better than halibut I have had anywhere else. While waiting for my food, I ask “why is this place different?”. Looking around, it is obvious the patrons have come for much more than just a bite to eat and a good beer. They have come to enjoy the ambiance of a pub next to the river, which is unlike any other restaurant in town. People are not in a hurry to leave. They casually drink their beer or wine, amongst the company of friends. Watching the patrons, it becomes obvious how a local successful business helps to make communication in the community come full circle. The people of Tri-Cities give their dollars to Ice Harbor in exchange for a good product in a pleasing environment, and Ice Harbor gives their dollars back in support of the things that make this community a great place to live. NOTE: The musician seen playing at the bar at the end of the video is the talented Jim Basnight. He wrote and sang the songs heard at the beginning of the Ice Harbor video, and the songs playing during the interviews toward the end. If you like what you hear, check him out at www.jimbasnight.com