Ballard’s Long-Awaited Bar of Wands and Wizardry Looks Like It’s About to Open

It appears that a mystical Ballard pub is ready for its debut soon. According to the neighborhood blog My Ballard, the Splintered Wand — a bar with a magic wand shop inside — hopes to open its doors in late July after some finishing touches. The project had originally been announced back in 2018, but both pandemic and non-pandemic-related delays pushed back the opening.

Residing in Ballard’s historic Flatiron Building (built in 1896), the Splintered Wand doesn’t just lean into its fantastical influences, it dives into them. In interviews, the co-owners stay in character as their centuries-old wizard aliases Geoffrey Thaddeus Constantine Balch and Andrea Ravnholm, and plan to craft custom-made wands guided by customers’ astrological charts in a workshop called Piscataqua & Balch on the second floor. Some of the quirkier decor includes a suit of armor and a skeletal structure hanging from the ceiling that’s an homage to the so-called “Ballard Sea Monster” seen in an early 20th-century photograph.

At the main restaurant and bar on the ground level, diners can expect a selection of cocktails — dubbed “potions” — and some British pub-influenced fare, including, possibly, pasties, Yorkshire pudding, and shepherd’s pie. A recent Splintered Wand job listing for a bartender-alchemist emphasized the cosplaying element here: “Making the story come alive requires us to be comfortable performing/staying in character while meeting the practical demands of a busy restaurant/bar.” There will also be a private events space on the third floor known as the “Euphorium” for parties and perhaps even a spells and charms class taught by Ravnholm.

Though the bar will be 21-plus, drinks can be made non-alcoholic, and it sounds like the owners are hoping to draw from a wide range of demographics. The Splintered Wand will be available via online reservation only at first, though, due to anticipated demand.

“The easy ones are the ones who are already gamers, the ones who are already witches,” Balch told My Ballard. “I think that to the extent that we can open some minds and open some hearts, and just sort of give them information to the extent that they want it, then we will be succeeding.”

• Wizard-themed Pub The Splintered Wand to Open Soon [My Ballard]
• The Splintered Wand [Facebook]
• All coverage of the Splintered Wand [ESEA]