Gig Harbor’s 7 Seas Brewing will begin its move downtown during the course of the year. The brewery will occupy the downtown space of the former QFC grocery store in the Peninsula Shopping Center on Judson Street.

“We’ll take our time and start moving in the coming months,” said Mike Runion, who co-owns the brewery with veteran brewmaster Travis Guterson. “They’re getting the space ready for us. Anything worth doing is worth doing right.”

The move will be completed in two phases, Runion said. The brewery will be installed first, then the taproom.

“We’ll install two new brewhouses right next to each other, so we can do our usual year-round stuff, and we’ll have a smaller one for more experimental stuff,” he said.

The brewery has run at its current location next to the Inn at Gig Harbor off 57th Street Court NW for 2 1/2 years. Since then, local businesses have jumped on the bandwagon to offer beer made by the young entrepreneurs.

“It will be nice to have a long-term home,” Runion said. “We’ll be able to increase production and have some cool toys.”

The company currently has eight employees and probably will hire three more to run the new space. They plan to retain the same home-type atmosphere.

“We’ll do the same thing, except bigger,” Runion said. “We’re not going to change a lot. We’ll still have the window into the brewery so people can see the production process. The tap room is real comfortable.”

Runion said the ultimate compliment is when customers say enjoying a beer at 7 Seas is like being in their own living room.

“We’ll keep a close eye on keeping it cozy and comfortable,” he said. “We want the ambiance where people can hang out in their sweatpants and bring their dog.”

The decor in the new space will honor the harbor’s fishing heritage and waterfront location.

“It’ll definitely be water-driven and coincide with the outdoor and recreation life,” Runion said. “We want the crowd to be 21 to 90, male or female. We want customers to be white-collar, blue-collar or dog-collar. That’s always fun.”

Runion said he’s enjoyed the mixture of clientele the brewery attracts and wants to keep the tap room a place where people can enjoy a good glass of beer and conversation.

“I like to see the banker in a suit talking to the construction worker, enjoying a beer and not zombieing out on TV,” he said.

Even with the operation’s success, Runion remains humble.

“It’s a work in progress,” he said. “We take one day at a time and expect the unexpected. We make an artisan product, and we’re glad to make something people can appreciate.”



Lifestyles Coordinator and reporter Susan Schell can be reached at 253-853-9240 or by email at susan.schell@gateline.com.