Drayton Harbor Oyster Company opens farm store and coffee corner

Drayton Harbor Oyster (DHO) Company has opened a farm store and coffee corner at the front of its Blaine restaurant at 685 Peace Portal Drive.

Co-owner Steve Seymour said the company has wanted to sell oysters and other seafood out of the space, formerly occupied by Barlean’s Fishery, since DHO started operating there in 2021.

“I want people to think, ‘Let’s eat some oysters at DHO and maybe we’ll grab a bag of oysters, too,’” Seymour said.

The farm store sells DHO oysters, live crab and cooked crab from Whatcom County fishers, clams and mussels from Taylor Shellfish Farms, DHO seafood soups and gumbos, and frozen salmon and halibut caught in Alaska. The farm store also has an assortment of tinned fish, kelp products from Barnacle Foods and other packaged goods.

“We’re trying to work with small fishermen,” Seymour said. “Everything is traceable.”

Seymour said DHO employees with barista experience suggested the coffee shop, and Seymour saw it as a way to interact more with customers. To welcome fall, the coffee shop is whipping up drinks like a pumpkin spice cold brew with toasted marshmallow cold foam, caramel apple lotus and a peach cobbler latte.

The coffee shop is currently open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday, but Seymour said he would like to expand those hours. Updated hours will be available on draytonharboroysters.com.

DHO opened the farm store and coffee shop in August.

Seymour said he envisions the space offering cooking demonstrations and classes in the future.

“We’re still trying to figure out a balance of what’s going to work,” he said.