Ridgefield’s East Fork Cellars moving into Vancouver’s Slocum House

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Vancouver’s historic Slocum House at Esther Short Park will have a new tenant this summer in Ridgefield’s East Fork Cellars.

East Fork Cellars founder Jeff Waddell said the five-year lease agreement was signed April 1, with the option to renew the lease for another five years in 2018.

“The city approached us because they were looking for a winery to come in and represent Clark County’s growing wine community,” said Waddell. “They also wanted a winery with a ‘Grade A’ rating with local law enforcement for being run as a clean business. We’re proud to meet that criteria.”

The move, however, does not come without a share of controversy. The Slocum House Theatre, Vancouver’s oldest theatre company, had been a staple of the house since its relocation to the park in 1966 but had to vacate last year due to the city quadrupuling the rent for the space.

The theatre had been paying rent of only $635 per month and was facing an increase to $2,500 per month for a five-year lease. They chose to leave and are now the Slocum Players at the Sassy Ape Theater on nearby Main St.

According to city documents, Waddell and East Fork will pay $1,500 per month to rent the Slocum House over the first year, “With an annual increase of 10 percent throughout the term of the lease. This will result in approximate revenue of $120,000 over the initial term.”

Waddell said he was not involved in any of the negotiations between the theatre and the city, but is very interested in bringing the theatre back to perform in dinner theatres and other events.

“I’ve planned on reaching out to them and see what we can work out,” Waddell said. “Since they’re such a big part of the house’s history, we’d like to keep them involved along with other community groups.”

Another reason why East Fork will pay a more moderate rent than what was pegged for the theatre is because of the restoration work Waddell is putting into the Slocum House.

“We’ve had to do a lot of painting inside and out, as well as sanding the wood down to its original look,” said Waddell. “We’ve also put in an HVAC system and had to replace light fixtures taken out by the theatre when they left.”



Because the kitchen is outdated and the fact that Waddell did not want to damage the historical value of the space by remodeling it, he said the plan is to contact local catering companies to bring in food to be served along with East Fork’s wines and spirits. There are plans, however, for part of the building to be converted to a small distillery.

Waddell said in the last few months before the agreement was signed with the city, area realtors tried to step in and make a deal for their clients, who would then convert the house into a restaurant or hotel.

“They were trying right to the last minute to get a different deal in place, which would’ve likely brought big changes to the house and taken out a lot of its historic appeal,” said Waddell. “I have a lot of respect for the city for sticking with us and seeing the deal all the way through to the end.”

By moving into the house, Waddell is excited not only by giving East Fork a footprint in Vancouver, but also the impact it can have on bringing awareness on local wineries and distillers who operate in surrounding Clark County.

“What I’m looking forward to is, since we’re now at the park, we can be a presence at events like the jazz festival and other things we’re suited for,” said Waddell. “Any way we can participate in large projects that boost local businesses isn’t really a bad thing.”

Some critics have said having a winery move into the Slocum House will exacerbate the noticable problem of vagrants and drug suppliers in Esther Short Park. Waddell said East Fork has a “Grade-A” rating with local law enforcement, which helps their reputation of being committed to being responsible vendors and he’s already reached out to the Vancouver Police Department to help deal with the issue.

“We’ve already been active in helping the community clean up Esther Short Park and lower the amount of vagrants and drug peddlers in the area,” said Waddell. “We’re also working with local businesses to come up with ways to provide vagrants access to things like food, shelter and treatment options through the use of coupons and things other than just giving them money.”

Waddell said licensing issues still need to be worked out before he can open Slocum House, but doesn’t expect any major delays in opening the doors in June or July.

The Slocum House was constructed in 1867 and is the last remaining home from the neighborhood which it originally resided in. In 1966, the house was moved to Esther Short Park to save and restore it. In 1973, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and was added to the Clark County Historical Register in 1985.

East Fork’s Ridgefield headquarters at 24415 NE 10th Ave., is currently open and is hosting “Dance Nights” every Friday and Saturday night starting at 7 p.m. More information can be found at www.eastforkcellars.com or by calling (360) 727-3055.