Dog House auction sale put off for another week

More than 20 people showed up for nothing on a cool and cloudy Friday morning as the public auction of the historic Dog House Tavern in Langley was postponed for a week.

COUPEVILLE – More than 20 people showed up for nothing on a cool and cloudy Friday morning as the public auction of the historic Dog House Tavern in Langley was postponed for a week.

“I’m usually here talking to myself,” process server Robin Mullins of Bellingham said after reading the official continuance of the auction. “It’s kind of fun to see a community getting involved.”

Speaking in front of the Island County Courthouse, Mullins said the order for continuance of the auction was received Thursday, and that no reason was given.

Mullins, of 4th Corner Network, Inc., was representing the Seattle law firm Wolfstone, Panchot & Bloch, trustees of the sale for Chesterfield Mortgage Investors of Seattle.

The new date for the auction is 9:30 a.m. Friday, April 30, on the steps of the Island County Courthouse in Coupeville.

The Jacobs family, owners of the 102-year-old First Street icon, were unable to find a buyer for the tavern by the April 12 deadline. The tavern has been closed for almost a year as mortgage payments fell into arrears.

Chesterfield Mortgage has the lien on the building. The debt on the lien is $500,000 plus costs. Officials of the firm said in January that if there are no other bidders, they probably would bid on the Dog House and then try to sell it.

A group of South End residents is attempting to form a nonprofit to raise funds to buy the tavern if the mortgage company acquires it. Their goal is to preserve it as a local icon. The building, which has fallen into disrepair, would require extensive renovations, the group says.