Meet the New Owners of the Halfway House Restaurant
The Halfway House Restaurant has been a staple of the Brinnon Community for over 50 years. It is well-known for former owner Bonnie Peterson's famous pies. After Bonnie's recent passing, the restaurant was purchased by another local family.
Michelle and Justin Matheson are now the proud owners of The Halfway House, carrying on Bonnie's legacy with scrumptious pies and warm hospitality.
“Bonnie was a great friend and neighbor. When she mentioned selling the restaurant, we knew immediately we wanted to maintain its positive impact on our community,” Justin Matheson shared. While in escrow, Bonnie suddenly passed away from cancer, but her daughter Amy Gehrke is still involved and a major investor in the restaurant.
About the new owners, Justin wears many hats. He's the NW Director of a national political and government affairs company called Axiom Strategies. He manages his business from the former Windemere Building next door to the Halfway House that he purchased in 2021. On top of that, he's also a dedicated Firefighter and EMT-IV for the Brinnon Fire Department (BFD). Justin is also the Chair of the Jefferson Fire District #4 Commission, President of the Jefferson County Fire Commissioners and Administrative Professionals Association (JCFC&AP), and a member of Jefferson Search and Rescue.
Michelle is a board member of the Brinnon School District. She also works as the Vice President of Member Engagement for the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber. Michelle will be managing the restaurant. She has already taken over baking pies after spending cherished time learning from Bonnie and Amy.
The Mathesons have two sons you might see working behind the counter or serving tables at the restaurant. Their oldest, Brady, is attending Peninsula College studying to be a Firefighter/Paramedic and a Volunteer Firefighter for BFD. Tyler is an 8th grader at Brinnon Elementary and plays football and basketball for Quilcene HS. He is also a youth cadet for BFD.
In addition to these new faces, some exciting updates are coming to the restaurant. In the immediate works are cosmetic upgrades to the exterior and interior, a new point of sale system (POS), new flooring, and kitchen equipment. Long-term plans include a lounge, coffee drive-up, and an outdoor firepit/beer garden concept.
Michelle said, "We want to preserve the character of the Halfway House that locals love but also breathe some new life into it."
The first exciting change will take place right away. Starting October 16th, the restaurant will be open 6 days a week from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The only day it will be closed is Tuesday to give time to work on the upgrades. You can visit the new website at BrinnonHalfwayHouse.com, and with the new POS system soon to be installed, ordering meals or pies to go can be done with the click of a button.
