Iron Rabbit restaurant owner is opening new eatery in downtown Olympia
A seasoned west Olympia restaurant owner is opening his next restaurant downtown.
Christian Skillings, who opened Iron Rabbit Restaurant & Bar nearly 15 years ago on Harrison Avenue, now has a second act: opening a new place at Harbor Heights, a nearly complete senior apartment building on Columbia Street.
The new restaurant will be called Cynara Restaurant & Lounge — cynara is the Greek word for artichoke — and it’s set to open this spring in about 3,000 square feet at Columbia Street Northwest at A Avenue Northwest, Skillings said.
The space is set to be constructed this winter.
Skillings said Monday that he has always wanted to open a second restaurant.
“So much is happening downtown,” he said, citing the recent apartment construction. “It’s exciting to be in the heart of our community. I’m looking forward to being part of it.”
The menu is under development, he said, but it will be broad, serving Northwest-inspired dishes, as well as Mediterranean and Pacific Rim cuisine, and including local seafood, produce and spirits.
“Small shareable plates to diverse entrees,” he said.
He believes he has created a sense of community and character at Iron Rabbit and wants to do the same at Cynara, creating a “focal point for community and for friends to gather.”
Iron Rabbit has 24 employees; Cynara is expected to employ more than 20, he said.
Harbor Heights will feature apartments for those 55 and older, plus office and retail space. It is set to open during the first quarter of 2020, The Olympian reported in July.
This story was originally published November 26, 2019 at 7:00 AM.
