Cooper’s Corner: A New Eatery in Downtown ChehalisCooper’s Corner: A New Eatery in Downtown Chehalis After a successful soft opening, Cooper’s Corner bar and grill is now officially open for business in downtown Chehalis. The new eatery, located at 289 NW Chehalis Ave., is named after owner Dan Waller’s 8-year-old English Labrador, Cooper. Waller, who previously worked in the antiques and collectibles industry, decided to open a restaurant to “get his act together.” Cooper’s Corner offers a diverse menu with something for everyone, including hearty made-to-order macaroni and cheese, chicken wings in house-made sauces, and even a vegan burger. “Since we have the county and the Lewis County Public Utility District all here, we’d like to help them out, give them another lunch option,” Waller said. Vegan options are a highlight of Cooper’s Corner menu, with dishes such as grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, and homemade hummus. “We’re the only place in the area that has that kind of selection,” Waller said. For those who prefer traditional dishes, the menu features burgers, chicken wings, club sandwiches, and Reuben sandwiches. “We press our burgers fresh every day, so you’re not getting frozen meat,” chef Madgett said. “We’re just making a good product and doing it right.” The restaurant also offers daily specials, such as “Taco Tuesday” with seasoned meat and fresh pico de gallo. “We want to be consistent with our food, that’s something I’m a stickler about,” Waller added. “Make good food and serve it the same way every time.” Cooper’s Corner is currently open from 10am to 10pm Monday through Thursday and until 1am on Friday and Saturday. Waller plans to eventually have the bar and grill open seven days a week. For more information, call Cooper’s Corner at 360-345-1250 or follow on Facebook or Instagram.
By Owen Sexton / [email protected]
After hosting a soft opening for Cooper’s Corner bar and grill in early June, co-owner Dan Waller said the downtown Chehalis business is doing well, despite only recently having a sign out front.
“Before the sign, people had no idea we were here. For the fact that we barely exist, we’re doing pretty well,” Waller said.
After a successful first month and a sign showing customers where to go for a beer and a hearty, made-to-order macaroni and cheese, chicken wings in house-made sauces or even a vegan burger, Cooper’s Corner has something for everyone.
The new location is located at 289 NW Chehalis Ave.
The Chronicle spoke with Waller and Cooper, Waller’s 8-year-old English Labrador for whom the bar and grill is named, on Tuesday, July 2, to learn more about the new eatery in advance of Cooper’s Corner’s grand opening, scheduled for Independence Day weekend on Friday, July 5.
“It was actually someone else’s idea to name it after him, not me, and we just liked the name so we stuck with it,” Waller said.
Cooper’s Corner is also part of the Historic Downtown Chehalis Walking Tour, as it is located in the Saindon-Garbe Building, which was built in 1907.
Waller, who previously worked in the antiques and collectibles industry as owner of Pacific Coin & Collectables, decided to open a restaurant with Richard Rickter, another antiques dealer, to get his act together.
Waller hopes to ride this wave and contribute to the growth of the downtown economy by encouraging people to explore the southern part of downtown while offering a unique dining experience.
“It’s a family-friendly bar and we lucked out and got two chefs who are really good at making food,” Waller said. “Since we have the county and the (Lewis County Public Utility District) all here, we’d like to help them out, give them another lunch option.”
And while meat and dairy are still on the menu, one of those chefs, Waller, has been vegan for 16 years and has dishes on his menu that even non-vegans like Waller enjoy.
“After he told me that first, I told him to make me something vegan so I could eat it and I know what you’re talking about,” Waller said. “So anyway, he made me a burger and put his own spin on it and I said to him, ‘I hate to say it, but it was actually really good and I would order it again because it was a good, filling meal.’”
Other vegan dishes include grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, homemade hummus, fried cauliflower, and more.
“We’re the only place in the area that has that kind of selection,” he said.
Chris Madgett, another chef at Cooper’s Corner, explained that while the restaurant has a traditional menu, there are dedicated cooking stations, including a dedicated deep fryer, to ensure that vegan options remain truly vegan.
For those who still love meat, the traditional menu features all the classics for a pub lunch, from burgers and chicken wings to club and Reuben sandwiches.
“We press our burgers fresh every day, so you’re not getting frozen meat,” Madgett said. “We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, we’re just making a good product and doing it right.”
One of the most popular items on the menu is the Cooper Burger, which features a two-pound patty, pepperjack and cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and a house-made thousand-island sauce.
“People want a burger and they want something good for a fair price, and our prices are pretty fair, especially compared to fast food prices where you’re paying almost $15 right now for a burger, fries and a drink,” Madgett said.
The kitchen also offers daily specials. Madgett was preparing for “Taco Tuesday,” planning to season and prep about 10 pounds of meat and make fresh pico de gallo, along with corn tortillas.
“Our mac and cheese is also made to order. The noodles are pre-cooked, but other than that, we put them in a pot with heavy cream and cheese and make them on the spot,” Madgett said.
“We want to be consistent with our food, that’s something I’m a stickler about,” Waller added. “Make good food and serve it the same way every time.”
Currently, Cooper’s Corner is open from 10am to 10pm Monday through Thursday. It’s open until between 10am and 1am on Friday and Saturday, depending on how business is going.
Waller said his plan is to eventually have the bar and grill open seven days a week once the business is up and running.
For more information, call Cooper’s Corner at 360-345-1250 or follow on Facebook at https://bit.ly/3xL5skj or on Instagram at https://bit.ly/3XTpHHj.
