At the world’s end
Public house gains
popularity in Long Beach
BY LUKE WHITTAKER
LONG BEACH — The tables were full
and the beer was flowing.
On Jan. 5 World’s End Public House
was bustling while the Seahawks battled
the Eagles during the first round of the NFL
Playoffs.
It was a welcomed sight for owner Bryan
Carr, who endured stretches of slow business
over the fall and winter.
“This week has been good, it would be
nice if we could keep this consistency,” said
Carr, 44, sitting at a stool at the bar, roughly
six months after converting the former art
gallery into a pirate and shipwrecked-themed
restaurant.
“When I can look around and see every-
one having fun, to hear the laughs and see the
smiles … It makes me feel good because that
was my whole goal, to give the community
something that’s fun to come to,” he said.
Carr officially opened the restaurant in
early August, missing out on a majority of
the brisk summer business that can sustain
many through the year.
“November into December was the hard-
est part of the year,” Carr said. “There were a
lot of days where we were at a loss, but you
just have to push through it.”
Beer and food specials
Lately Carr has been hosting events and
specials to generate interest and get more
people in the door. A few weeks ago a craft
draught beer special was added on Mondays
and Thursdays.
“All day long all 20 taps are $3.50 — and
they’re all craft brews,” Carr said.
“Mondays and Thursdays had typically
been lost days for us, so we’re trying to turn
that around and get people interested in com-
ing in those days. It’s helping more and
more. You might not make any money on
your draughts that day, but people aren’t just
coming in and ordering a beer, they’re order-
ing food and having appetizers too.”
On Fridays the restaurant added a fish
special. “It’s all-you-can-eat cod fish and
chips ($14) and people are pretty excited
about it.”
Carr expanded on the original menu to
14 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
Luke Whittaker
World’s End Public House owner Bryan Carr has expanded the menu and started offering weekly craft beer specials to get more people in the
door.
include former popular specials including a
captain’s platter ($25) and crab quesadilla
($15).
The draught taps change weekly, but
among the latest offering is Pineapple With
Attitude IPA from Boneyard Brewing in
Bend, Magnetic Fields from Fort George
Brewery in Astoria and a limited-edition
Tucana Tangerine Sour from Ecliptic Brew-
ing in Portland.
Two ciders — Black Currant Cider from
Finnriver Farm & Cidery and a Peach Oak
Cider from Swift — are also on tap.
“We’ve a lot of beers on tap — stuff that
others often have a hard time getting,” Carr
said.
“Right now, we have one from AleSmiths
brewing from San Diego called Speedway
Stout.
World End Public House is stocked with
If You Go
World’s End Public House
101 Pacific Ave. S. Long Beach, WA
Open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday
through Monday
Items average about $10 each
Happy hour and sports games feature
draft beers for $3.50
liquors from local craft distillers including
the latest releases from Adrift Distillers in
Long Beach. More than 25 varieties of rum
line the wall, including the iconic Pusser’s
Rum.
“It was the rum of the British Navy,” Carr
said. “They used to give the sailors a ration
of it each day.”
The practice endured until 1970, ending
after concerns the rum ration (roughly 2.5
ounces of 95-proof alcohol per day) would
give sailors unsteady hands around machin-
ery. In the U.S. Navy, the daily ration was
one-half pint of distilled spirits until 1842,
when it was reduced in half. It was abolished
in 1862, according U.S. Naval History and
Heritage Command archives.
About 60% of the business revenue comes
from food, and rest from beer and liquor
sales, Carr said.
The restaurant currently serves lunch and
dinner but maybe being offering breakfast,
beginning on the weekends.
“Depending on how well that goes we
may do it every day,” Carr said. “Once the
summer starts up again, I know we’re going
to have a good season.”