Downtown Olympia’s shelved library is pouring a new chapter.
Whiskey Library, the long-envisioned concept from Mike Michael, is set to open next year as a place for whiskey lovers.
“I enjoy good whiskeys and I’ve been to a couple of places where there’s a lot of selection, people knowledgeable and it’s fun to sit and chat about,” Michael told What Now Seattle.
He continued, “I own other businesses in the area but for 15 years a whiskey library thought was in my mind. I kind of let it go and then about three years ago, I was up in Alaska skiing with my son and he said, ‘You’ve been talking about that for so many years. Why don’t you do it when we get back?’ I said, ‘Let’s hunt for a place and do it.’”
Michael said the two discovered the old Carnegie Library and knew it was the ideal spot.
“I found that property, nowhere could have been better for it than this building,” he said.
The renovated space will include a restaurant in the upstairs area complete with a full bar, a lower-level members-only whiskey lounge with accessible entryways and a versatile area that can easily convert into a conference room for presentations while remaining open for community use.
“The upstairs will have a really tall bar with a library ladder and 20s decor with a lot of old local and state history on the walls,” Michael said.
The restaurant will feature a full menu sourced from a local supplier. Michael said he wants to move beyond typical bar fare by offering elevated dishes pairing well with whiskey. The menu will include seafood and steak, with a prime rib special on Fridays, along with unique small plates such as charcuterie boards, bacon-wrapped roasted stuffed jalapeños and sourdough grilled cheese with blackberries and bacon.
“The downstairs will have a members only club, they’ll have special perks,” he said. “There will be another bar down there like the one upstairs but a smaller version. There’s also a speakeasy, a hidden room with a triggered bookcase that rotates, it’ll have cigars and card tables.”
The bars will be stocked with a wide selection of whiskey, spirits and local beers.
“We plan to have somewhere between 600 to 700 whiskeys–there’s scotch, there’s bourbon, there’s whiskey, there’s Japanese whiskey, there’s Irish whiskey. There’s so many different varieties so we wanted a huge selection. That’s kind of the focal point,” Michael said.
Outdoor dining will be available atop a 1950s-built annex, while a members-only rooftop deck will offer sweeping views of the bay, Mount Rainier and the Capitol.
Carefully restored woodwork, ceilings and wainscoting will showcase the building’s historic charm. A modern addition, featuring an elevator, kitchen and ADA-compliant powder rooms, complements the space and blends seamlessly with the 1920s theme, complete with a stylish settee couch.
“I’m just excited about pulling off what’s been in the back of my mind for 15 years,” Michael said.
Whiskey Library is set to open its doors in October 2026, giving the community a new chapter to savor.
[Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include an official interview with Mike Michael.]
