Blog

Welcome back, neighbors! We’re continuing our climb up Stone Way, and this block between N 35th Street and N 36th Street is super interesting. It’s classic Fremont… where a dive bar that hosted Anthony Bourdain sits next to a bean-to-bar chocolate shop, and you can grab a pint and ramen before heading to pilates or a hair appointment. Let’s dig in!

Pacific Inn Pub (3501 Stone Way N)

You simply can’t talk about this block without starting with the Pacific Inn. This is the kind of neighborhood hangout that defines Fremont: old school booths that have historical photos hanging nearby, that perfectly dim lighting, and fish and chips that have become an absolute rite of passage for anyone who lives around here.

The pub as we know it today dates back to the early ’80s, but the building itself was built in 1940-41. Here’s a fun piece of history that Valarie Bunn dug up: back in 1942, this space was the Square Deal beer parlor, run by Marie Jacobucci. By 1950, her husband Nicola had taken over. The Square Deal Tavern changed hands a few times through the ’60s and ’70s before eventually becoming our beloved Pacific Inn.

The place got some serious street cred in the last decade when Anthony Bourdain filmed here for Parts Unknown. “Pacific Inn Pub is a holdout,” Bourdain said. “A place that has so far managed to resist the temptation to appease the invaders.”  

Current operator Joe Voss (who worked here long before taking over) shared a detail we absolutely love: the old Square Deal sign was never fully removed. The Pacific Inn sign you see today? Built right over it. Just another layer in a building that’s been pouring pints for 84 years. The Kleist family owns the property, keeping this piece of Fremont history alive.

Spinnaker Chocolate (3509 Stone Way N)

One door north, that longtime medical-supply storefront has gotten a delicious makeover as Spinnaker Chocolate. Brothers Chris and Kelly Van Arsdale opened their bean-to-bar café and factory store here in May, and it’s been a sweet addition to the neighborhood (pun absolutely intended).

Spinnaker’s all about transparent sourcing and low-waste packaging, with bars that lean gluten- and nut-free, plus lots of dairy-free options. For everyone who’s been missing Theo Chocolate’s presence in Fremont, this feels like a real homecoming for good cacao on Stone Way.

The building dates back to 1986 and got a nice remodel before Spinnaker moved in. Bixby Bridge LLC owns the property.

Figurehead Brewing + Midnite Ramen (3513 Stone Way N)

Next up is one of our favorite two-for-one combos: Figurehead Brewing’s taproom paired with Midnite Ramen’s kitchen. The owners took a pair of older structures—the front building for the taproom, the back for the kitchen—and replaced a crumbling breezeway to tie it all together. Smart!

Inside Figurehead, you’ll find a malt-forward beer lineup (just a couple of IPAs at a time—refreshing, right?), plus cider, sake, tea, and non-alcoholic options. But the real secret? The courtyard out back with string lights and dog-friendly patio seating. It’s an absolute summertime gem. Fremont Neighbor spoke at length with Figurehead’s owner, Bob Monroe, and will publish more fun details about the business soon.

Bixby Bridge LLC owns this parcel too, with the original building dating to 1938 and a major remodel that happened in 2024.

SHIFT Movement & Healing Arts / Radiant Pilates / Blue Moon Healing Arts (3517 – 3521 Stone Way N)

Head a bit further north and you’ll find a mid-century commercial building from 1961 that houses SHIFT Movement & Healing Arts, Radiant Pilates Northwest and Blue Moon Healing Arts acupuncture. SHIFT offers daily classes, lots of instructor variety, and event rentals, basically the wellness counterpoint to all those pints and ramen bowls we just talked about.

It’s a good reminder that Stone Way mixes everything together: wellness studios, workshops, bars, and everyday storefronts all sharing the same block. That’s very Fremont. Blue Stone Property I LLC owns the building.

Back in the 1930s, 3521 Stone Way was still a house, with a barber shop sign out front, according to Bunn. Oscar and Marie Skotdal, Norwegian immigrants, lived here with their sons while Stone Way was making that transition from residential street with a few gas pumps to the fully commercial corridor we know today.

The house and the gas station next door were demolished in 1959 to make way for Daly’s Paint & Decorating. Another piece of old Fremont making room for what came next.

The Old Daly’s Paint Building (3525 Stone Way N)

On the northwest corner at N 36th Street sits the post-war Daly’s Paint complex from 1959. It’s been significantly remodeled and now houses a cluster of small businesses: Cristy Carner Salon, Stone Way Café, and Commercial Space Advisors.

The Daly family’s connection here goes way back to 1947, when Walter Daly moved his paint shop to Stone Way. The brand that grew from that spot literally colored Fremont for decades. After Daly’s closed abruptly in 2018, the longtime property owner (ABC Enterprises Inc.) started a long refurbishment. It’s nice to see the space coming back to life.

And here’s a homecoming story we love: Stone Way Café reopened here in May 2024 after their original location farther north on Stone Way was demolished to make way for a five-story office building. Twenty months is a long time to wait for your neighborhood café to come back, especially when people swear they make the best breakfast burrito in town!

A Block That Remembers

This block is such a perfect snapshot of Fremont’s personality. We’ve got working-class roots and a steady stream of proprietors keeping the lights on. You can still feel the older city in the bones of these buildings, even as new businesses and fresh energy move in.

Next time we’ll go to the east side of the block. It’s technically Wallingford, but that won’t stop Fremont Neighbor from digging in.

A big thank you again to Valarie Bunn for her wonderful Fremont history research that makes stories like these possible!