Balefire Story
Everybody asks "What's the story behind the name?" Well the short version of the story is that a balefire is a beacon fire. What we are trying to do - put beer and wine (and now spirits) on equal footing - seems simple, but yet we're the only bar that I can think of that is really doing it. Add to that that we are an outpost of good beer and wine in the North End, and metaphorically we are a shining beacon of zymurgy.
A slightly longer version would be that in focus groups, this is the name women preferred. Since statistically women drink more wine than men do, we are trying hard to accomodate their demographic.
For the really long story of why the founder picked the fire theme go here: From Ashes to A Dream Fullfilled.
Originally, Balefire was a concept that almost literally rose from the ashes of its founder's personal tradgedy. Maintaining a more upscale vibe (without being snooty), it really filled a niche in the Everett Community, providing an experience most northenders had been travelling to Seattle or beyond to find. The main goal was to provide a classy experience at a budget price; a goal that was successfully achieved.
After being in operation for two years, Balefire was sold to Cameron and Trevoli Handyside. Both are long-time Everet residents with diverse backgrounds. Trevoli works by day as a video game programmer, with an extensive education in both Computer Science and Law. Cameron came from more of a blue collar background in various forms of construction, and later recieved an education in Video and Animation. Through a strange set of circumstances he ended up as a video roadie for long time Seattle rock band,Queensr˙che, after which he entered the video games industry alongside Trevoli.
Both shared a dream since high school of owning a bar in the historical downtown area of the city they love. With neither having had any kind of previous restaurant experience, they have brought a fresh perspective and a set of new ideas to Balefire, making some great changes and building on an already good foundation. Young and full of energy, they both hope to provide awesome events and experiences for the Everett Community for years to come as this story continues to grow.