Under the stewardship of new owners Seth Howard, Al Donohue, and Jen Gonyer-Donohue, the College Inn Pub is open once again.

image sourced from the College Inn Pub

Be you resident, student, or tourist and you’ve walked along University Way in Seattle’s beloved collegiate neighborhood, known lovingly as the U-District. Known for an eclectic mix of minority-owned restaurants, bars, and shops, the “Ave” remains an oasis for students, educators, and residents when they need a breath of fresh air or to pump blood into their legs during a stroll. Whether a fan of Pho, used books, a locally brewed beer, or some shawarma, the “Ave” provides plenty of nourishment. But after the sun goes down, when lunchtime restaurants and shops close, many frequent places like the College Inn Pub. 

Acquired by Ronald L. Bozarth and Richard L. Burnett in the 1970s, the Ye College Inn originated as part of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, featuring rooms for rent, before several remodels into the 1960s. And since the ‘70s, the College Inn Pub, along with the upper floors of this historic 1909 building, have supported aspiring business owners and future minds of the world, one pint or one mouthful at a time. Unfortunately, the College Inn Pub has fallen on hard times, as recently as last year.

Then, in 2020, affected by Washington state governor Inslee’s stay-at-home order, coupled with a prohibition on indoor dining, then owners Shea Wilson and Anders Lorenson were forced to close the College Inn Pub. Recognizing an opportunity, Seth Howard, Al Donohue and Jen Gonyer-Donohue purchased the lease.

First noticed several decades ago, no doubt before and after many Husky football or basketball games, Seth Howard was not shy about his love of the College Inn Pub. In fact, his love was so strong for this beloved basement bar he invited close friend and roommate Al Donohue on many trips to the bar. From there, as they say, the rest is history, as Howard would start several restaurants in Seattle neighborhoods: Pioneer Square, Roosevelt, and Maple Leaf. Today, he is the current owner of restaurant, Collins Pub, and bottle shop, The Last Drop.

Meanwhile, his old roommate Donohue would go on to an initial career in the food and beverage business, before transitioning to a legal career, while Al’s spouse (and now College Inn Pub co-owner) Jen went on to a career as a non-profit director. But they are quick to point out that it wasn’t just pints and nachos, the couple share with Seth Howard, prior to the purchase of this beloved bar.

Prior to their careers in law and non-profits, Al and Jen not only worked shifts in food and beverage but also worked at Howard’s Trattoria Mitchelli, owned by Seth’s parents. Besides working elsewhere, Gonyer-Donohue also worked at the College Inn Pub for a stint. But the trio stayed in touch as they each migrated to greater roles, mostly meeting up at the College Inn Pub to watch games. So yeah, you could say it was not an accident that when the prior owners announced the closure in mid-2020, the trio jumped at the opportunity to own this landmark. 

Fortunately, it didn’t take long to gain the keys and the lease before they got to work on the interior, renovating everything from the walls to the food and drink menu. With more on their plans and the process to “restore” the College Inn Pub is the ownership. 

With a strategy of retaining the heritage and original feel of the pub, the team spent 10 months giving  the space a much needed deep clean and updating systems and fixtures, including modernized electrical and  plumbing, functional kitchen and bar equipment, and the woodwork refinished. “Regulars keep asking why it  seems so much brighter down here,” Gonyer said. “The lights aren’t any brighter than before, but the walls are  no longer orange.” The new owners took great pains to restore and revitalize the physical space and systems  while maintaining the historical character of the pub. Construction has begun on a large outdoor deck just  outside the pub’s front door. “We are thrilled to be able to offer open air seating soon, which seems more  important than ever in this pandemic,” added Howard.

With an eye towards preserving menu items that made the College Inn Pub a destination, the ownership is committed to preserving iconic items like their nachos and grinders, while coaxing the unconvinced guest with items like meatball grinders, made with pizza bread and house made marinara. Again, here’s the ownership on the food and rink menu changes. 

“The only menu item that has not returned is the bagel dog – partly due to sourcing issues and  partly due to our desire to take the microwave out of the kitchen and shove it in a closet. No microwaved food  anymore,” said Howard. A new "even-more-local" craft beer list includes great drafts from breweries like  Cloudburst, Ravenna, and Maritime – and yes, you can still get a PBR. In addition, the pub offers a full menu of  innovative and classic cocktails and quite a few good non-alcoholic choices (such as Rachel’s Ginger Beer and  fresh squeezed lemonade).

With a sense of optimism, after the rescinding of capacity limits indoors and outdoors, the trio of Donohue, Gonyer-Donohue, and Howard, look forward to welcoming you back. 

In Seattle’s historic University District, the College Inn Pub is at 4006 University Way NE, inside the basement of the College Inn.

For more information including hours, current draft and food menu, and news, visit https://www.thecollegeinnpub.com.

Update: For the sake of accuracy, we’ve updated the timeline of events between the period when prior owners of the space, Shea Wilson and Anders Lorenson closed the College Inn Pub and the new ownership purchased the lease to the space.