There’s a lot happening inside one of the most iconic buildings in downtown Snoqualmie as a local business owner prepares to give the historic, turn-of-the-century former ‘State Bank of Snoqualmie’ new life…. and a new purpose.
As many renovation experts remind us via popular TV shows, respecting past architecture while bringing in modern conveniences is often times not an easy task, but one local resident says she plans respect the past to honor the future in order to realize a dream.
Chef Kristen Schumacher will be re-purposing the historic building at the corner of Falls Ave and River Street (most recently used as a Visitors Center by the Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce), turning it into Heirloom Cookshop where she’ll teach cooking classes to both kids and adults, continue catering and offer a small menu of seasonal to-go breakfast and lunch items.
Kristen has been hard a work inside the iconic brick building for the past two months, transforming the dated interior into a fresh, bright kitcheny space – all while keep the structure – the bones of the building – intact.
The drab yellow walls are now bright white. Gone is the dark old carpet, which will be replaced by stained concrete floors. The former bank vault – complete with nearly two-foot thick walls – will become a pantry storage area and the back room will become the sink and prep area.
A massive, 4′ x 15′ section of a black walnut tree will be the center piece of the space – for use as a counter-height teaching and work station – with a dramatic, large light fixture hanging overhead. And soon plumbers and electricians will be onsite it install professional-grade ovens, sinks and refrigerators to finish out the transformation. Upstairs will be used as office space.
The remodeling has been a family affair, too, as Kristen enlisted the help of her two young daughters as painters. She said it’s important that the girls be a part of this dream own a business in the community where they all reside.
Renovating the nearly century old building hasn’t come cheap, though, so last month Kristen launched a Kickstarter campaign with the hopes that the community would support her efforts to rejuvenate the landmark space and see it become the first-of-its-kind business in the Snoqualmie Valley.
So far, Kristen is about half way to her KickStarter goal of $25,000. She said she has to pinch herself sometimes as this dream gets closer to reality.
The end-goal is to make the building, and Heirloom Cookshop, a downtown anchor for the community to enjoy and appreciate. Kristen believes the community has been supportive of her endeavor to bring the building back to life at a time when downtown Snoqualmie is revitalizing and attracting more and more businesses – including lots of popular local food destinations.
Once the space is finished – tentatively scheduled for mid July – in addition to cooking classes and grab and go food items, Kristen will offer on and off site catering services, along with monthly chef dinners, showcasing seasonal items accompanied by ‘libations’ from local wineries, breweries or distilleries.
There will also be a retail and gift area inside Heirloom, offering kitchen tools and some of Kristen’s favorite cookbooks.
If you’d like to learn more about the historic building, its renovation and/or help support Heirloom Cookshop and Kristen complete the renovation visit the KickStarter page HERE.
