Place to Go for Drinks in Port Angeles

[psprague]

Originally Posted by lorelei2873

So, just out of curiosity, why isn't PA a bigger draw? Just a lack of urban renewal? Or a lack of jobs? I honestly can't tell what's driving the growth of some the cities where I live other than people moving out here for the scenery (can't figure out how everyone's supporting themselves, but...). I'm surprised to hear mixed reviews everywhere about PA because it seems like it could have a lot going for it.

That is a really good question. I think PA has had a very hard time reinventing itself after the bust of the timber and fishing industries. You see a lot of expensive homes going up but according to the stats, the biggest private employer in the county is Walmart.

[Pcghost]

Can a few Port Angeles residents tell me what businesses they feel are missing from PA. My wife and I are thinking seriously about spending a few years living in the PA area and have thought about starting a business. Buy ourselves a job type of thing, as IT opportunities seem to be missing.

Also does anyone work in Victoria and ride the Blackball for work purposes? Is it feasable?

[psprague]

Originally Posted by Pcghost

Buy ourselves a job type of thing, as IT opportunities seem to be missing.

Also does anyone work in Victoria and ride the Blackball for work purposes? Is it feasable?

Yes I would say IT opportunities are missing from PA. I work as a software engineer but out of the Seattle area. I tried for a while to do local consulting but there really was not much here, at least the kind of stuff I want to do. Working out of BC would require visa's and the like. Its also about 26 mile / 90 minute ride. (The express is much quicker though)

[edwardo]

To chime in for PA here are some positives:

It's beautiful. Olympic Mountains with Hurricane Ridge and the Olympic National Park. Outstanding. Direct gateway to Victoria, B.C. Expansive bike path from PA to Sequim and beyond. The Strait of Juan de Fuca for kayaking, beachcombing, and birdwatching. Dungeness crab fishing, salmon fishing, halibut fishing, river fishing for steelhead and salmon, and close to clamming. The weather is also extremely mild because of the rainshadow effect from the mountains.

To answer the drink question try Crazy Fish downtown. Don't think they have pool but still fun. If you change your mind and want Mexican try Sergio's off 8th street. Fancy breakfast? Chestnut Cottage. Good dinner? Downriggers, Crab House, Cafe Garden, Gordy's, or Bushwacker. Fancy French? C'Est Si Bon. There are a lot of choices.

To answer the business question - the main entities that might need IT employees would be the PUD, school district, Nippon Paper, or maybe even Batelle in Sequim. If you want to open your own stand-alone store I would suggest a scrapbooking store with easy parking. There is no easy parking downtown. Or a doughnut shop like Dunkin Doughnuts (couldn't resist).

As far as PA being "ghetto" as suggested on some of the other threads I think it's like anywhere else...there are some icky spots but there are some awesome spots as well. PA does have a huge drug and alcohol problem which is especially evident in the schools. But it doesn't come close to a Tacoma or downtown Seattle or even downtown Spokane.

I moved here seven years ago from Kennewick and would not go back.

[citydatauser]

First of all, lorelei2873, how long are you going to be staying in Port Angeles? If you have enough time i would strongly recommend visiting Lake Crescent and Hurricane Ridge. They are both very beautiful places

Originally Posted by psprague

That is a really good question. I think PA has had a very hard time reinventing itself after the bust of the timber and fishing industries. You see a lot of expensive homes going up but according to the stats, the biggest private employer in the county is Walmart.

I agree with psprague. I also think Port Angeles has had a hard time after the bust of the timber and fishing industries. Although the biggest employer for Clallam county is Walmart, the biggest employer for Port Angeles, however, is Westport Yachts, a large yacht manufacturer. There are a lot of expensive houses being built all around Port Angeles, but mostly to the west and south.

Also, the city of Port Angles is working hard to try to make Port Angeles more welcoming. One major project happening downtown is the Port Angeles International Gateway Transportation Center; the total cost is estimated at $14.6 million. Other downtown projects include: Renovation of the existing Port Angeles City Light building for Family Medicine of Port Angeles Downtown Primary Care Clinic, the Landing Mall project, the Oak street condo/hotel/retail project, replacing the remaining downtown sidewalks with brick, restoring the Port Angeles underground, and many other little projects.

[psprague]

Originally Posted by citydatauser

If you have enough time i would strongly recommend visiting Lake Crescent and Hurricane Ridge.

Other downtown projects include: Renovation of the existing Port Angeles City Light building for Family Medicine of Port Angeles Downtown Primary Care Clinic, the Landing Mall project, the Oak street condo/hotel/retail project, replacing the remaining downtown sidewalks with brick, restoring the Port Angeles underground, and many other little projects.

Salt Creek and Dungeness Spit are both nice places to see the strait up close and personal. Both are different enough that you will not see the same thing; one is sandy beach and the other is more of a rocky point (actually its called Tongue Point). There is also an old costal artillery emplacement there but Fort Warden at Port Townsend is a much nicer example of one.

There has been more building around PA in the past 3 or 4 months than I have seen in a long time.

Sequim has been the real boomer recently though. Walmart, Home Depot, Costco and plethora of strip malls have been built on the east side. They recently announced a plan to build a 10(I think) screen cinema on the west side but a 65 acre project on the south side just got canceled.

[citydatauser]

Originally Posted by psprague

There has been more building around PA in the past 3 or 4 months than I have seen in a long time.

yeah. they say more houses have been built in Port Angeles over the last few years, than the previous 20 years before that.

Also, the city is expecting more businesses and economic development to the east of the city after the eastern urban sewer extension project is completed.

[lorelei2873]

Thanks for the info. I am planning to go to Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent. I really also appreciate the restaurant info. I'm getting really excited for my trip.

[faulkton]

Port Angeles does have great restaurants for a town that size.

[Kingsnkali]

I would 3rd the suggestion for taking the Coho to Victoria. Good bars, restaurants and coffee shops. Less down to earth than PA but a lot more fun.

I like Port Angeles much more than Sequim though. I just want to get through Sequim as soon as possible. No charm or character. None. The retirees must like it for getting less rain and having bland box stores and cheap buffets. I haven't been to PA in a few years but my observations follow: PA has some nice charm but it always seems a little dark and mysterious downtown at night. The street lighting needs major work. They could also remove some of the old dive hotels and make a lot more off street parking available. The design of the main streets needs work because it makes you just want to continue through downtown instead of stopping there. Too bad, because downtown PA could be a destination instead slow spot in the road with some changes.