Baywood Coffee opens in Birch Bay

A new Birch Bay coffee shop with beachside views and the goal of becoming a community hub has opened just in time for summer.

Baywood Coffee celebrated its grand opening May 3 in the former Birch Bay Teriyaki building at 8036 Birch Bay Drive.

“There’s so much potential in this area, having it so close to the water and a center spot of Birch Bay,” owner Antonie Inthavong said. “I really envision this being a place where everyone hangs out.”

For the 27-year-old, owning Birch Bay businesses runs in his family. His grandfather, Young Kim, moved to the U.S. from Korea after serving in the Vietnam War and saved until he could open Birch Bay Teriyaki in 1996. Inthavong’s parents took over the teriyaki restaurant and then sold it in 2011 to open Nami Asian Bistro in Lynden. They then purchased his grandfather’s business, Beachwood General Grocery Store, and opened Skai Sushi inside in 2019.

When Birch Bay Teriyaki went up for sale a few years ago, Inthavong’s family repurchased it to provide him the chance to run his first business.

The coffee shop will have an expansive menu, serving both in-house items, such as baked goods and breakfast sandwiches, in addition to bagels from Otherside Bagel Company in Bellingham, specialty cookies and other baked goods from L&L Bakery in Blaine and Hammerhead Coffee Roasters in Bellingham.

The cafe will scoop up 12 flavors of Umpqua ice cream and four flavors of gelato, with an option for affogato, an Italian espresso-gelato dessert. Baywood will also serve a dessert not found elsewhere in Birch Bay: Bingsu, Korean shaved ice made with milk and topped with sweets.

More in-house food will be introduced throughout the year, Inthavong said. He thanked the community for their patience as he opens his first café.

Baywood also has an area dedicated to highlighting local businesses and selling Birch Bay merchandise. In the future, Inthavong would like to have a community garden in front of the business.

“I want there to be a sense of community and a sense of place,” he said. “I want this to be a place where people can have both a safe and an accepting environment.”

Baywood Coffee is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, visit Baywood Coffee on Facebook at bit.ly/4aaRTYH.