On Thursday, June 28, the Kangaroo & Kiwi Pub in the Old Carnegie Library on N.W. Market Street opened its doors for a small pre-opening party hosted by pub owner Bradley Howe and building owners Karoline Morrison and Dennis Beals.

The event was a chance for community members to meet the pub owner, sample some of Melinda Sims' delicious creations, and see the remodeling of the 3000-square-foot groundfloor space that formerly housed Carnegie's French restaurant and stood empty for well over a year.

Morrison first announced the new tenant in January and she's as excited now as she was then.

"I think it's going to be a great change for Market Street," she said. "It's something completely new for the building."

Morrison put to rest some of the public's concern about moving a pub into an historic building by stating, "Brad has done the interior in a way that it can be completely turned back into being an old library. The old shelves are still in the basement!"

The Kangaroo & Kiwi Pub is Seattle's only exclusively Aussie and Kiwi Pub that has been bringing the authentic taste and culture of down under to Seattle for the past 11 years. They offer all the "pub classics from down under" including steak pie, split pea soup, sausage rolls, and of course, vegemite sandwiches. They also carry imported beers and screen rugby, cricket, and soccer matches on their 'tellies'.
Originally from Australia, owner Bradley Howe has been a Ballard resident for twenty years but waited to open up his pub in Ballard until the right place came along. The Old Carnegie Library is that place.

"It's unique, and in the heart of Ballard," Howe said. "When I had a chance to look at it, I walked in and knew right away what I was going to do and where everything was going to go."

"It reminds us of home," Brad's niece and head of the kitchen, Melinda Sims, chimed in.

Sims explained that in Australia the pub is the center of the community and you'll often find pubs in old buildings.

"This space is exactly what [the are like at home. You have the pool room, the kind of quiet room to sit and eat, the pub part in the middle, and a beer garden," said Howe.

The pub opened earlier this month but, without a full kitchen, has yet to celebrate their Grand Opening.

Yet even with the limited kitchen, existing of just camping stoves and toastie makers, Sims managed to impress as she served delectable lamb and portobello mushroom sliders, and a beet and feta salad.

The Grand Opening will take place on Friday, July 13, on the eve of the Ballard SeafoodFest.

Later in July, Kangaroo & Kiwi will be breaking in their new location by hosting their annual lube wrestling competition, which is a fundraiser from the Emerald City Mudhens, a local women's rugby club.

The Kangaroo & Kiwi Pub is located at 2026 N.W. Market St and open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Learn more about the Kangaroo & Kiwi Pub at their Facebook page.