If you’ve been following along with Simple Goodness Syrups since our launch in 2018 and our soda shop journey since 2020 (remember opening during a Pandemic? We barely do- the trauma wipe is real- but the remodel that took us 4 years, that we remember every step of the way!) you know we’ve always built this business with equal parts grit, creativity, and with the intention of planting deep roots in our community.
This next chapter isn’t one we planned.
As a small business located along a key route to Mount Rainier, hwy 164 aka the Carbon Glacier Highway, our cocktail café relied on the steady flow of visitors, day-trippers, and tourists passing through. When the bridge closed, the entrance to the mountain just beyond it was unreachable. With it, most of the foot traffic that sustained our day-to-day operations disappeared.
Restaurants in towns like ours- a rural Pierce County community of 500 residents- rely on big seasonal swings in revenue to keep the bills paid during the rest of the year. No one comes here in January, yet the building needs heat, insurance, property taxes paid, and so on. We tried staying open last year to see how this change would affect us and if we could survive while maintaining our old model.
There’s no easy way to say it—it’s been a loss. A loss of momentum, of visibility, and of the vibrant, spontaneous energy that came from being a stop along someone’s adventure.
Personally, we mourn the loss of this wilderness access for ourselves and our community. And as state residents, it is extremely frustrating that the bridge was knowingly and specifically left unmaintained for 30 years with no public or cross- governmental agency disclosure that this decision had been made. Other projects were prioritized for preservation funding, despite there being no detour available or alternate route over the massive canyon that stands between this part of Pierce County and Mount Rainier National Park.
Candidly, it's been frustrating and grief filled, as we mourn the dream we built. Like many small, rural businesses, we’re in a position where decisions far beyond our control directly impact our ability to operate. We’re now in an uncertain waiting period as we look to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for clarity on if—and when—a new bridge will be rebuilt. You can stay up to date on this progress through the Wilkeson Historical District's communications, here.
While we don’t yet have a timeline or answers about the future of that roadway, we do have to make decisions about the future of our business.
Rather than continuing to operate the soda shop as a daily café dependent on unpredictable traffic, we’re shifting into a model that is more resilient.
Our soda shop has always been more than a café. It’s been a place for gathering in celebration with craft cocktails, good food and good people. We like to party, and we throw a great one- this space is perfectly built for celebrating.
Now, we’re leaning fully into that.
A transition to an events-first model, including private gatherings, weddings, and brand experiences. We are now booking as a private venue, and more info can be found here about planning an event with us.
Continuing the popular classes and seasonal events you guys love. The list of dates will be posted here, or you can join our newsletter to stay up to date and secure your tickets
A continued commitment to community-driven hospitality, just in a more focused way
This shift allows us to keep the space alive and meaningful, even as daily traffic patterns remain uncertain.
At the same time, we’re putting even more energy into what has always been the foundation of our business: Simple Goodness Syrups.
Made from farm-grown ingredients, organic cane sugar, and real botanicals, our syrups were designed from the beginning to extend beyond a single location—to bring the experience of our cocktail farm into homes everywhere.
Continued innovation with seasonal, farm-driven flavors dropping to the website throughout the year.
A new look on our bottles, that highlights our clean ingredients and puts our favorite people- the farmers and producers who make our syrups possible- in the spotlight.
This transition hasn’t been easy. But, we’re still here. The farm is still producing. The syrups are still handcrafted in small batches for the most delicious drinks. And the Soda Shop is a rustic-chic historic space ready for your big life moments.
And while we wait—alongside our neighbors and fellow business owners—for WSDOT’s decisions, we’re choosing to lean into Simple Goodness wherever we can, in everyday moments.
The holidays have hijacked the Simple Goodness Soda Shop, a family friendly cocktail cafe in Wilkeson, WA, with this year looking jollier than ever for the annual holiday tradition- despite a town in crisis. This year’s plans may come as a surprise in a year that has rocked the small town, after the permanent closure of the Fairfax bridge in April reduced tourism and business revenue by up to 50%.
