"After 45 years of service, Arnies Restaurant will close effective September 21, 2026." That was the sign on the door at 300 Admiral Way, as My Edmonds News reported the next day. It went on: "Unfortunately, the current business climate does not allow us to continue."
A plan already existed for the end of Arnies. It just pointed to a much later date. In June 2025, the building's new owner and the Port of Edmonds put out a timeline that kept Arnies open until construction began on a boutique hotel, and they estimated that start for 2029. The restaurant closed about three years early. So the Edmonds waterfront has lost its longest-running dinner room while the hotel meant to replace it is still, in its most recent public description, a preliminary concept. That gap shapes what Admiral Way looks like this fall and how it will change over the next few years.
The deal that was supposed to set the timing
The building Arnies occupied is called The Landing. The Port of Edmonds owns the land under it. For about 20 years the building was owned by Catspaw LLC. In early 2024, Catspaw's managing member, Peter Challman, told the Port that Catspaw would not extend its ground lease, which was set to expire at the end of 2029. Catspaw then brought in a buyer, 1010 Development, run by father and son Mike and Ryan Appleby. Ryan Appleby is the company's president.
The approval process was not quick. The Port's announcement said the proposal was discussed at 11 public commission meetings in 2024 and 2025. The commission approved a new 50-year ground lease unanimously, and it took effect June 6, 2025.
Here is how the dates fit together:
| Date | What happened at 300 Admiral Way |
|---|---|
| Early 2024 | Catspaw LLC tells the Port it will not extend its lease past 2029 |
| 2024 to 2025 | Proposal discussed at 11 public Port commission meetings |
| June 6, 2025 | 50-year ground lease with 1010 Development takes effect |
| June 2025 | Hotel construction estimated to begin "sometime in 2029" |
| Sept. 21, 2026 | Arnies closes permanently |
| Sept. 29, 2026 | Notice of pending dissolution of Arnie's Restaurants Northwest, Inc. published |
What the hotel is, as far as anyone has said
The plan is still at the concept stage. My Edmonds News reported in June 2025 that 1010 Development plans a boutique hotel and wellness spa, with public spaces and eateries meant for locals as well as guests. The proposed public amenities are a full-service restaurant, a sauna and spa, a social club, event space, and a ground-floor café serving coffee, smoothies and grab-and-go food.
Two details matter for anyone who walks this stretch regularly. First, Appleby confirmed the new building will keep the current footprint but will be "a complete teardown." Second, he told the outlet he has seen the Sunday morning cold-water plungers and thinks sauna services on the ground floor would let them "come right in." The same report said the project would be one of the few waterfront hotels on Puget Sound, alongside Mukilteo's Silver Cloud Hotel and Seattle's Edgewater Hotel.
The 2025 announcements did not include a hotel name, a brand, a room count or a rendering. 1010 Development said it would release a rendering at a later date. The project still faces a long permitting process, including design review with opportunities for public comment.
Why the early closure leaves an open question
The 2025 plan assumed a steady handoff. My Edmonds News wrote that "waterfront walkers won't see any change for a few years," and that Arnies and the other tenants would stay put. The closure notice blamed the business climate and did not mention the redevelopment. No reporting reviewed for this post connects the two. The closure coverage in My Edmonds News does not report a temporary use for the space, a new tenant, or any change to the hotel schedule.
Arnies' own wind-down is moving quickly. A Sept. 29 follow-up in My Edmonds News published a notice that Arnie's Restaurants Northwest, Inc. is pending dissolution. The notice asks anyone who believes they have a claim to send a final invoice to the company's controller. Arnies' controller told the outlet that the company's attorneys would contact gift-card holders about outstanding balances.
The same column reported a separate offer from Hook & Cleaver in Mukilteo, which used to be an Arnies location. Through Thanksgiving 2026, diners who turn in an Arnies gift card get $25 off a $100 purchase or $10 off a $50 purchase.
The Port's bigger plan is still being scoped
The Landing deal was never meant to stand alone. In 2025, the Port's Director of Economic Development, Brittany Williams, told My Edmonds News that the deal was "phase one" of the Port's master planning. She said private investment in the building would free the Port to focus on the rest of the plan and on projects like the seawall and the North Portwalk.
That master plan has moved slowly in 2026. According to My Edmonds News in April, Port staff were drafting the scope for a request for proposals, expected a consultant by late June, and aimed for a final roadmap in fall 2027. By August, the outlet reported that commissioners were still divided over the consultant's role and the scope of the request. The goal of hiring a consultant by the end of 2026 had not changed. A workshop on Sept. 14 was listed as "Master Planning: Existing Conditions and Past Efforts Discussion."
The Port's planning scope document calls for a public survey, open houses, online engagement and a visioning charrette. The document does not give dates for any of them. For now, the public venue is the commission itself. Regular meetings are scheduled for Oct. 27, Nov. 9 and Nov. 24, according to the Port's 2026 calendar. The infrastructure side is further along. Today's special meeting agenda includes an information item on the North Portwalk and Seawall Reconstruction Phase III plaza restroom building.
What is still open on the water, and up the hill
With Arnies gone, the closest sit-down option on Admiral Way is Anthony's, which runs two restaurants at 456 Admiral Way. Anthony's HomePort Edmonds serves dinner daily and takes reservations. Anthony's Beach Café is a walk-in restaurant one level below it.
The Landing also houses a Snoqualmie Ice Cream scoop shop at 300 Admiral Way, Suite 102. A March 2026 report described it as open, with hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
Downtown, two restaurant changes this fall are relevant to anyone rethinking a regular dinner spot:
- Rooster Bagel Café, 515 Main St., opened Oct. 3 in the renovated space the Loft used to occupy. It is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily for now. Director of Operations Hilary Ness told My Edmonds News the longer-term goal is "a day-to-night neighborhood café, kitchen and bar, with breakfast, lunch, dinner and evening service."
- Girardi's Osteria, 504 5th Ave. S., has redesigned its menu. Most dishes now come in a smaller standard portion, and diners can add meat to build the larger size. The restaurant also offers more than 20 happy hour items, Sunday through Thursday from opening until 5 p.m.
The waterfront calendar, October through December
Whatever comes next at The Landing, the waterfront's fall and holiday calendar is already set:
- Oct. 20, 4 to 7:30 p.m. House of Wisdom's first Multicultural Celebration Night at the Edmonds Waterfront Center, 220 Railroad Ave. It is free, with a suggested $10 donation.
- Nov. 8, 9 a.m. to noon. The Port of Edmonds Marina Cleanup Dive at 458 Admiral Way. Shore-support volunteer roles are open to the public.
- Nov. 7, 14, 21 and Dec. 5, 12, 19, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Edmonds Museum Holiday Market on 5th Avenue North, next to the Edmonds Historical Museum at 118 5th Ave. N.
- Nov. 28, 3 to 5 p.m. The Edmonds Tree Lighting Ceremony at Centennial Plaza, 5th Avenue North and Bell Street. The program starts at 4:30 p.m.
- Dec. 6, 4 and 7 p.m. Argosy's Christmas Ship leaves from the Port of Edmonds. The shoreline performance at the Edmonds Fishing Pier is scheduled for 4:10 to 4:30 p.m.
- Dec. 10. Holiday Night at the Marina, 458 Admiral Way, with music, food trucks, hot drinks, treats and decorated boats.
Each of these events takes place within a short walk of 300 Admiral Way, where Arnies served dinner for 45 years.
A redevelopment at 300 Admiral Way and a new Port master plan are both things Edmonds homeowners near the water may want to factor in when thinking about their property's long-term value. If you would like a calm, clear read on where your home stands today, Hawkins & O'Bryant can help. Request Your Free Home Valuation.
