Beloved Seattle dive bar College Inn Pub reopens under new ownership

After being closed for 11 months, Seattle’s historic College Inn pub has officially reopened under new ownership.

Located in the basement of the 112-year-old College Inn building on University Way NE, the pub has been a staple of the underground district for students and faculty alike for nearly 46 years. However, the former owners were forced to close the pub in July 2020 due to financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on indoor dining.

While many thought it was the end of the road for the longtime hangout, the bar was eventually bought by two longtime customers: Jen Gonyer-Donohue and Al Donohue. With the help of local restaurateur Seth Howard – who also owns Collin’s Pub and Last Drop Bottle Shop – the three set out to preserve the bar for the next generation of students, but insisted they wouldn’t rush the reopening.

The team spent the last 11 months updating electrical systems and kitchen appliances, and also reworking the woodwork to keep the bar feeling its original. And soon the waterhole plans to offer outdoor seating as construction is underway on a large deck.

Aaron Tevaney plays pool in the College Inn pub, Jan. 3, 2016.GENNA MARTIN / SEATTLEPI.COM

“We’re excited to have outdoor seating soon, which seems more important than ever in this pandemic,” Howard said in a press release on Wednesday.

While most of the menu items at mills and nachos remain the same, the new owners added homemade meatballs and marinara and other local beer options from breweries like Cloudburst, Ravenna and Maritime, as well as more house cocktail options.

For its part, the University of Washington will resume most face-to-face events and bring more students to campus this fall. The university has also issued a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for students and staff before classes resume this fall to help protect the community from outbreaks.

“We look forward to seeing everyone in the neighborhood and UW community back for a pint and nachos,” said Donohue. “The College Inn Pub has risen from the COVID ashes but is still in the basement.”

Other historic bars and restaurants also saw ownership changes during the pandemic: Ballard’s almost hundred-year-old Lockspot Cafe was put up for sale in May and later sold in July. The 133-year-old Jules Mae Saloon in Georgetown was temporarily closed in July 2020 before a longtime patron stepped in to keep its legacy alive.