Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Narrows Bowl Opens Lounge for Displaced Ale House Customers

It takes a village to keep a successful business afloat and a unique partnership in University Place is proving just that.

Starting Monday, Narrows Plaza Bowl will open their lounge to Ale House Pub & Eatery customers while damages caused by a kitchen fire in the restaurant are being repaired.  

Narrows Bowl owner Mary Ann Greenfield told Patch that, through a partnership with Ale House owner Craig Dickens, she will hire about eight Ale House employees to work in the lounge until the restaurant can reopen this fall.

"Craig made me promise to fire them all when he's ready to take them back!" Greenfield joked. "This gives me a quick staff and gives the Ale House employees something to do while they're waiting."

Since Narrows Plaza Bowl opened 6 years ago, it's had a good relationship with the neighboring Ale House, said Greenfield. Transforming the lounge into a pub is a new venture for Narrows and an opportunity to try new things. 

"This is about us taking care of the [Ale House] customers," said Greenfield. "That's what's most important--help keep the regular customers and get them back in when it's reopened."

Narrows Plaza Bowl will begin serving in the lounge at 11:00 a.m. until normal closing time, 7 days a week. The Ale House employees will work side-by-side with the Narrows staff, including in the kitchen, to accommodate the lounge transformation.

“This partnering will help our staff stay employed and will keep us in touch with our customers. Thank you to the management of Narrows Plaza Bowl for helping us through this tough time,” said Dickens.

While the menu is different than The Ale House, Narrows Plaza Bowl serves high-quality food, including certified Angus beef. Tacos and pizzas are put together on premise and breakfast is served all day.  

Afraid Narrows won't have your favorite beer on tap? While it can't feature all 64 beers, Greenfield said Narrows is reviewing its selection and is willing to make some changes--they already plan to add a couple featured IPAs to the roster.

To stay on the Ale House schedule, Narrows will also offer Happy Hour 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday-Friday, similar to their specials.

Narrows and the Ale House hope the community will rally and support "neighbors in need" and spend some time at Narrows Plaza Bowl this summer.