LAKE STEVENS — Walk around Dwellers Drinkery and the casual vibe is the first thing you notice. Craft beer fans tip back pints while watching the big game, parents let their kids play in the upstairs playroom while they chat or a couple shares drinks and appetizers in The Alcove, a cozy bar area.
The team of co-owners — three couples who are longtime friends – has created their new space in Lake Stevens with a focus on a welcoming atmosphere and relaxing moods.
“Our motto is ‘make yourself at home,’” said Alex Wells, Dwellers Drinkery’s front-end and bar manager. “We want customers to be able to grab a beer at the bar and wander around. Go outside, go upstairs or sit at the bar.”
An employee pours a Garage Beer into a Dwellers Drinkery glass on Sept. 25, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
The Dwellers team took inspiration from casual taproom environments like Kirkland’s Moss Bay Hall and Bothell’s McMenamins Anderson School. Both have multiple spaces for customers to imbibe and encourage an open, mobile and approachable atmosphere. Dwellers’ plan was to create a parent-friendly, beer-curious, food-forward space.
“Our target demographic really gets it,” said Wells, referring to young professionals and families with kids. “They’re familiar with these types of open spaces that encourage moving around and are more casual.”
Dwellers Drinkery is owned and operated by three longtime friends – Wells, Danny Ludwig and Jeff Dugan. But it’s truly a family affair as the wives of all three – Kimberly Wells, Missy Dahl and Susie Dugan – and their children have played important role in the business. The wives have been integral to Dwellers’ branding, marketing, interior design, events and more.
“A lot of the little attention to detail you see around Dwellers comes from them,” Wells said.
The children’s play area inside of Dwellers Drinkery on Sept. 25, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Between February and its opening date in June, the three couples pitched in to renovate the building along Vernon Road near Frontier Village in Lake Stevens and to build the brand. The result is a restaurant and taproom that uses every inch to create a comfortable environment.
One of those unique areas that ties directly to the owners’ young families is the upstairs kids playroom. Kids can color, draw on the chalkboard wall, play in the playhouse while mom and dad watch the game or chat — all while keeping an eye on the kids.
“We like to think of it as a ‘choose your own adventure,’ for customers,” Ludwig said. “Mom and dad can sit at the bar and let the kids play.”
One of the main areas to renovate was the kitchen. Ludwig, who was executive chef at Woodinville Cut Shop Restaurant & Lounge before Wells and Dugan convinced him to join the Dwellers’ effort, brought in new equipment and altered the layout to maximize efficiency in the space.
The menu focuses on fun pub foods for a wide audience. There’s buttermilk-brined fried chicken drumsticks, a fish fry made with Scuttlebutt Amber beer-batter, burgers, sandwiches and more.
The drink menu is a centerpiece for Wells, who formerly curated the beer lineup for Flatstick Pub. Take your pick from 32 beers and ciders on tap and three coolers with alcohol and non-alcohol options. Choose a can from the cooler, pop the top, take a seat and have a swig. Or take a four-pack of variety home for later.
“We want to offer something for everyone,” Wells said. “We’ve had a lot of customers ask us to bring in their favorite beers, ciders or kombuchas. We can’t get everything, but if we can I’ll definitely do my best to get it on tap or in the cooler.”
Wells and Dugan had looked at locations across the Puget Sound region. What they found in Lake Stevens was the perfect fit.
“It really had everything we wanted in a building,” Wells said. “Open spaces for events, a kitchen and room for growth.”
Inside Dwellers Drinkery brew area on Sept. 25, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
What the building also has is a bit of a spotty history. Built in 2019, the boxy dark green building was originally slated to house 5 Rights Brewing, which later walked away and opened its first location in Marysville. Since then, it has housed multiple restaurants and breweries, including Meatheads and Penn Cove Brewing. Both businesses closed within a year of opening.
“The building is weirdly a big part of the Lake Stevens community,” Wells said. “We have people coming up to us constantly asking us about the building and what we’re doing with it. I think they want something to be a success here.”
Wells said they also reached out to R.J. Whitlow, the owner of 5 Rights Brewing. Whitlow originally designed the brewhouse and building to fit his brewery. They invited him in to chat, go through the space and talk about it.
“He came in and took time to talk about why the building was designed the way it was,” Wells said. “He’s been really supportive.”
In response, Whitlow brewed a 5 Rights beer for Dwellers Drinkery’s grand opening.
“We’re so glad that Lake Stevens finally has a fantastic family friendly food and beverage option in that location – just like we originally dreamed of years ago,” Whitlow said.
Dwellers is not a brewery, but the original brewhouse will remain. Ludwig and Wells said the plan is to create an event space in the large area that houses the brewhouse, and leave the large fermenters and kettles there. As for the brewing equipment, the Dwellers team hopes to create a partnership with a brewery to make use of it.
Contact writer Aaron Swaney at thesplitpint@gmail.com.
IF YOU GO
Dwellers Drinkery, 8928 Vernon Road, Lake Stevens.
Find them online at dwellersdrinkery.com
This story originally appeared in Sound & Summit magazine, The Daily Herald’s quarterly publication. Explore Snohomish and Island counties with each issue. Subscribe and receive four issues for $18. Call 425-339-3200 or go to soundsummitmagazine.com
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