Summer 2023 Songwriters Series | Union WA

One of the Hood Canal’s most iconic locations has not quite been itself lately, but it’s on its way back. And if its new owners have their way, it will be better than ever. Especially in Union, on the southern coast of the fjord, the Robin Hood Village Resort is home to a lot of memories.

For the last several years, the resort’s place on Highway 106 has been the same, but its place in the community as a hub of music and food and drink and friendship, all but ended.

Business partners Cody Davis and Christian and Dani Osgood might seem like an unlikely trio to step in to bring back the magic. The twenty-somethings are real estate entrepreneurs who’ve dealt almost exclusively in multi-family housing, but when the opportunity to buy the waterfront resort arose last year, they didn’t hesitate. And despite being newcomers to the area who all still reside primarily elsewhere, they say their commitment to the resort is also a commitment to the community. They are set to return in grand fashion, hosting the Peace, Love and Union summer songwriter series beginning with Grammy Winner Kristian Bush on July 13.

The idea was birthed when the business partners were told about the availability of a resort property on the Hood Canal.

“Christian is an outdoorsman and loves to fish, so he was sold on the idea before we even saw it,” Cody recalls. “In the photos it seemed like a quintessential Pacific Northwest property, and

then we came to see it, and I thought it was one of the most beautiful properties I’ve ever seen.”

While negotiating and closing the deal last year, the partners studied the colorful history of the property. Originating in 1934 by the hand of Don Beckman, the village concept of the property caught the attention of a film crew, who appreciated Beckman’s vision and his ability to bring it to life. As a result, Beckman was hired to design the movie set for the 1938 Oscar-winning film “The Adventures of Robin Hood,” starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, inducted into the National Film Registry for its historical and cultural significance.

Subsequent owners included the Nordstrom Family, who continued to own the restaurant and pub into the 1990s before it was unified with the rest of the property. Legend has it Elmer Nordstrom had his first kiss with his eventual bride in the pub when it was a speakeasy in the 1930s. When the most recent owners, Darrin and Tam Barry took it over in the 1990s, it really was a village. Cabin 6 was a hair salon, and Cabin 15 was the liquor store.

When the new owners acquired the property last year, their mysterious identities and intentions were the subject of rumor and theory in the tiny town, the most popular being the rumor that they were cryptocurrency billionaires planning to level the resort and build condos. The rumors were entertaining, they say, but not the least bit true.

After taking ownership of the property, including the Woodcox house next door, the new Robin Hood team has been working on upgrades and renovations. Sadly, there’s one aspect of the Robin Hood they would have liked to restore that’s not likely to come.

“We get asked all the time if we are bringing back the pub and the restaurant,” says Christian. “And unfortunately, it’s not really an option for us.” The previous ownership not only converted the building into a residence but changed its zoning status, he explains, taking that possibility off the table.

“Maybe if we were crypto billionaires, we could make it happen,” Christian jokes. Failing that, though, he says the pub and restaurant have been renovated and made available for rent and are the coolest unit on the property.

The young entrepreneurs light up when they talk of the return of music and community to the Robin Hood. They’re more than aware that the community was devastated by the loss of the pub and restaurant, they’ve been eager to find ways to bring back music.

“With the pub not being an option, we wanted to find another way to bring the resort back as a center of the community and the music scene ,” Christian says. “This summer’s songwriter concert series is the thing to do, and it’s hopefully just the start.”

The meadow area behind the cabins, often used for weddings and receptions, will be the site of the concerts, he says. “It aligns perfectly with our vision for the property, and I can’t wait to fill the place up with smiling people having a good time and enjoying great live music.”

Part of the attraction of being involved in the Peace, Love & Union songwriter series, says Dani, is the connections they get to make in the community. They’ve found kinship with local business owners and artists, and they are looking forward to working with the several

businesses participating in the series and to collaborations and mutually beneficial partnerships in the future. They’re especially fond of Hood Canale, the new wine bar facing them from the other side of Highway 106.

“I can’t say enough positive things about them,” says Christian. “Those guys know how to have an event. It’s a huge amenity for us that they opened up last year. We’ve got the cabins and the hot tubs and the corn hole, and they’ve got the wine and beer. Whatever we do, if there’s an after-party, it’s going to be at Canale!”

Beyond the music, Christian says, they aim to have the resort be a place for community. “We want to change into more of an event space, both for people in Union and from out of town,” he explains, “because that really feels like it’s the most conducive for building and participating in the community.”

So could these investors make more money building a condo complex on the Hood Canal? Maybe, says Cody, but to them, a plan for success is much more than a plan to make money. Support of charitable causes and involvement in the community are part of their business plan and their life plans

“It’s great to advance yourself in business and life by making money and acquiring things,” he says. “But that shouldn’t be your end goal. I mean, we are ambitious, for sure, but part of our ambition is to be a part of a community, and add some richness to people’s lives. Making money and running businesses are important, but when you can share it with people, that’s when it starts to be fun.”

Robin Hood Resort is currently open under the new ownership and management team. The Peace, Love & Union songwriter series is a symbolic re-opening of Robin Hood to the community, beginning with the July 13 presentation of Grammy Winner Kristian Bush in Concert, with special guests Union musical duo 3000 Miles.

For more information about the series, Exit104Records@gmail.com. For more about the resort or to reserve a stay, visit RobinHoodVillageResort.com.