Sea service association to hold grand re-opening after fire

Fleet Reserve Association Branch 97 will have its grand re-opening on Aug. 30.

By Sam Fletcher • August 6, 2024 1:30 am

Fleet Reserve Association Branch 97, offering a plethora of veteran resources as well as Crow’s Nest Lounge, a full bar with inexpensive food, will have its grand re-opening on Aug. 30, after a fire closed its doors for four years.

A Fleet Reserve member drove by Crow’s Nest, a 111-year-old barn, one Sunday morning, seeing smoke billowing from the roof. A condenser had overheated in the kitchen and shorted out, causing $600,000 worth of damage, said Ferron Rice, vice president.

Repairs were extensive. The roof had to be removed and replaced, and the kitchen was taken down to its foundation. The entire building had to be remodeled to adhere to city code.

Ultimately, they were lucky, said President Brent Hundley. If the club member had noticed the fire just five minutes later, the entire building could have been rubble.

Branch 97 formed in 1946, 22 years after the start of the national organization, and the barn was purchased in 1948 for just $157. Afterward, the association moved it from Ault Field to its current location on 8th Ave.

“It cost a small fortune to re-open a bar that was originally purchased for $157,” Hundley said.

The Fleet Reserve Association is a community of sea services, be it the Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard, active duty, veterans and their families. Branch 97 provides services to members of all branches of the military, Hundley said. The national organization seeks to protect and enhance military pay and benefits.

On a local level, the Fleet provides scholarships for Oak Harbor and Coupeville high schools and provides flags for cemeteries in Oak Harbor and Coupeville on Memorial Day. Crow’s Nest offers the cheapest prices for pub food in town for club members.

With over 475 members before the fire, membership has been cut in half and then some after the lounge’s closure. Since its soft opening last month, 60 new members have joined, Rice said, and the organization is looking to expand.

The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. on Aug. 30, with city leaders in attendance. At 8 p.m., local classic rockers Marty Malloy & the Moontans will take the stage, honoring Malloy’s daughter, Marti, who took bronze in the 2012 summer Olympics for judo.

Lounge hours are currently Thursdays through Sundays, noon to 10 p.m. and will likely expand soon. For more information, Branch 97 can be contacted at 360-246-4710 or fra.branch97@gmail.com.