Photo Story: Bar Bathrooms
A look inside the bathrooms of several popular late-night destinations in Bellingham, Wash.
Photo story by Miranda Grogger
Bar bathrooms: known for their graffiti-stricken walls, sticky floors, and… mood music? Ambient lighting? You might expect a shit show (literally) when entering the bathroom of a college bar, but after exploring several of Bellingham’s, I’m happy to report that you need not worry… about these establishments at least. I went in expecting war-torn washrooms but instead found these five lavish lavatories.
Photo captions
This bathroom’s walls are washed in red ambient lighting and papered with directions and blueprints for the Pinball machines found on the second floor of the bar. I was stunned by how beautiful it was. // Photo by Miranda Grogger on March 14, 2024
This toilet, adorned with an array of local business stickers and touting a modern push handle, is truly a throne fit for a king. // Photo by Miranda Grogger on March 14, 2024
Ultimately, The Racket easily claims the title of “Best Twilight-Vampire-Gothic-Moment” among Bellingham’s bar bathrooms. // Photo by Miranda Grogger on March 14, 2024
OK, so it’s not a bar… but they do serve alcohol. Did you know that? And their bathroom is a cute space with fun decorations. Imagine the cutest bathroom with the most whimsical, jungle-y vibe… Now quadruple that amount of whimsy. There was even an entirely separate playlist from what was playing in the rest of the shop when I went. // Photo by Miranda Grogger on Jan. 30, 2024
The only indicators of the absolute dimension change that is entering this bathroom are a faint purple glow under the door and this silly gender-neutral sign. // Photo by Miranda Grogger on Jan. 30, 2024
I gotta give Sweet As Waffles the title of “Best Worldbuilding” in Bellingham’s bar bathroom scene. I’m very curious whose idea this bathroom was. // Photo by Miranda Grogger on Jan. 30, 2024
Up next we have the “Most Normal Bathroom” of any Bellingham bar. With the constellation-studded walls of its main room and its beautiful accompanying ballroom bar, The Orion opted for Just A Bathroom. Can’t blame them! Does what it needs to do. The only interesting thing was this incredibly cryptic sticker. Searching these letters online doesn’t bring anything up. Maybe I’m just out of the loop. // Photo by Miranda Grogger on Jan. 30, 2024
This bathroom matches the vibe of its establishment, which tends to be full of flashing lights and the sound of pinball machines, pretty well. Sometimes you just need some peace and a giant Sonic above your head while you do your business. I can’t imagine having the spins and coming face-to-face with a giant Sonic the Hedgehog… anyway. This bathroom does what it needs to do! They also had a very cool bathroom attendant, a cardboard cutout of the one and only Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson (unfortunately unpictured, as he was too powerful for my measly camera to capture). The 1-up Lounge bathroom earns the title of “Best Bathroom Buddies. “ // Photo by Miranda Grogger on March 4, 2024
Though not technically a bar, Pel’meni doesn’t stop slinging dumplings until 2:30 a.m., making it a favorite spot for bar-hoppers looking to end the night with a savory treat. Their bathroom is the perfect blend of style, scene and cleanliness. It also takes home the title of “Sickest Graffiti.” // Photo by Miranda Grogger on Jan. 30, 2024