Hartwood Cafe celebrates grand opening in North Bend

The owners decided to branch out on their own after gaining decades of varying experience in the food industry.

By Mallory Kruml • June 12, 2024 1:30 pm

Hartwood Cafe and Bakery, a husband-and-wife-owned coffee shop specializing in high-quality coffee and house-made baked goods, has officially openedits doors at 202 W. North Bend Way.

Chef Traci Knight and her husband Damon, both with several decades of experience in the food industry, moved into the brick-and-mortar shop in October 2023 after operating their Valley-based mobile espresso truck, Curbside Grind.

“We put our heart and soul into that little 1964 Ford Bread Delivery Truck, and it served us well,” Knight said. “It’s bittersweet because of what we learned operating Curbside Grind. But, the customer base that followed us to Hartwood has been invaluable.”

Hartwood sells all things coffee, chef’s choice quiches and current customer favorites: maple scones and almond horns. Pies, cheesecakes, cakes and breads will be available in a limited fashion as the company grows.

Knight said the new shop — previously home to Pioneer Coffee and, more recently, Vintage Baristas — had good bones. Given its existing infrastructure and high-traffic downtown North Bend location, it was the best option for the couple’s self-funded project.

“[It’s] is a play on the medieval term for Stag, and particularly the mystical White Hart, which is a messenger from the other world and the starter of quests,” Knight said when asked about the cafe’s name. “With all the deer in our area, along with how forested this area is, we liked the imagery of merging the words Hart and Wood together. It has an old-world feel.”

While paying homage to Pioneer Coffee — “an institution of North Bend” — by keeping them as its coffee roasters and continuing to serve a selection of its baked goods, Hartwood will soon see renovations to its menu and furnishings.

“We’ve been focusing on a vibe shift while curating and refining the drinks, baked goods and food offerings,” Knight said. “In the coming months, we’ll be finalizing plans to expand our kitchen and offer more items served to order, such as soups and salads alongside our sandwiches and quiches.”

Hartwood will celebrate the grand opening from 4 to 7 p.m. June 13 with coffee, food and live music just outside the North Bend shop.

“The passion is kindled each time somebody walks in and tells us how cozy and comfortable our spot is. It grows when they marvel at the latte art or compliment the chef,” Knight said when asked about the community’s response to the cafe. “This type of work is not easy and starting a business in the hospitality industry isn’t for the faint of heart, but it’s what we know and we hope we can do it well enough to offer the community a welcoming environment where people can gather, indulge and enjoy this beautiful town that we’re lucky enough to call home.”

The Hartwood team looks forward to hosting open mics and participating in community events in the future.