Photos by (unless otherwise noted) Jason Shafto/Full Moon Photo

This article is exciting for me as it is the first of 120 issues of the HGT Magazine that we have done a cover/feature on a business from Wáan Kún/Gamadiis Port Clements. It’s also big news for Port: there’s a new local entrepreneur and a reinvigorated pub to celebrate!

When you refashion a local landmark, people are bound to ask: will this new gathering spot reflect and serve the community as well as the old one did? So far, the consensus is a resounding “Heck yeah.”

Enter, owner/operator, Charleen “Bean” O’Brien, who grew up in Port Clements and her new business, the Axe and Anchor Pub. Whilst giving me a royal tour of the fruits of eighteen months of challenging and arduous renovations, Charleen tells me, “People have been asking me for years, ‘Why don’t you buy the pub?’”

In truth Charleen never had any intention of purchasing the pub but in late 2020, “A rumour was circulating,” Charleen divulges, “that someone was looking to purchase the waterfront property that the Yakoun River Inn was sitting on, tearing it down and building a house. So, we had an emergency family meeting and we hashed it out for hours. We decided we could not let that happen – and so, here I am, a pub owner.”

Back in 1979, it was the Decock family who originally built the Yakoun River Inn or “Yak” as it was fondly called. For many decades, people from all over Haida Gwaii enjoyed the Yak as a good times get-together spot. When asked for her thoughts about the new pub, Anne Decock shares, “Our families have known each other for over forty years. It’s great that Beanie is carrying on the pub business as her own. The renovations are beautiful and it’s so wonderful to sell to a local.”

The name for the Axe & Anchor came about as an homage to the industries that this town was built on. “My parents companies has been operating and employing people for 50 years,” explains Charleen. “My Mom and Dad have worked hard from the ages of 14 & 15 years old and this project is definitely a tribute to them. My brother has also worked in the industry since he was a teenager. We are very proud to revitalize this building and offer up a spot for all island peoples to come together with each other.”

Fun fact: at the age of fourteen, Charleen’s first job was working as the Yak’s pizza chef. “Back in those days (the 1980s),” she reminisces, “there were often lineups out the door!”

Now 49, Charleen has been cooking for over 26 years. A classically trained chef, she has worked as a professional cook in several high-end restaurants and catered events of all sizes. Having lived off-island for a while, Charleen came back to Haida Gwaii when her children were little as she loves the quality of life and the people here. “I don’t miss city living. I’m aware of how special where we live is. I wanted my kids to grow up in a small and safe community. Being a single mother, the most important thing for me will be finding a balance between running the pub and family life.

Two very important influences in her life are Charleen’s mom, Gloria, who has always been a fantastic hostess and cook, and her late granny Lil who raised nine children. “Lil was an excellent cook. She prepared food from her heart – no recipes - and that is a big part of who I am.”

The Axe & Anchor’s menu will include classic pub fare such as nachos, chicken wings, burgers etc., combined with modern gastro pub food. Locally sourced seafood will be offered whenever possible along with comfort foods, international dishes, gluten-free and plant-based options - all handmade. Patrons can also look forward to ongoing specials and theme nights. Take-out and off-sales will also be offered, and a designated driver’s service is in the works.

Axe and Anchor Pub Manager, Charleen’s Auntie Diana shares when I ask her for her thoughts, “I look forward to how this will help bolster the quality of life and economy of Port. This place has historically been a mid-island gathering point. Smiling faces and fun are long overdue - things we could all use a bit more of.”

“We are excited to serve folks from all over Haida Gwaii,” Charleen adds, “and I am especially proud that it’s here in and for Port Clements.”

Visitors to the Axe & Anchor will be in for a treat. “I’ve tried to recreate the kind of place I enjoy when I go to the city,” says Charleen. “I wanted it to be a mix of masculine and feminine. Modern but with a nod to the old pub feel. It was important to me that it feel warm and inviting.”

The elder/wheelchair friendly entrance is punctuated by two large and beautifully ornate hemlock doors. Once inside there sits Port’s very first ever ATM! Across from it, above a small seating area hangs the Yak’s steer horns that once hung over the fireplace. Talk about nostalgia!

When you step through the foyer into the open-concept pub area, one can’t help but say wow. From every 60-plus seat in the house, the new, floor to ceiling windows and glass paneled deck railings facilitate a breathtaking view of both the Masset Inlet and the sunset-famous mountain ranges.

There are four 72-inch flat screen TVs that will broadcast a host of live sporting events and a 16-foot-long quartz countertop bar offering five different beers and cider on tap, along with a selection of fine wines. Fun events to come include live music, karaoke, sporting events and music trivia, etc. There is also full-service BC Lotto and Pull Tabs. There is a raised seating section by the “Antique Wood” Prima Stone fireplace that doubles as a stage for live entertainment, a conference room available for private events and three, stylish and inviting half-circle, six-person booths.

And then there’s the 1600 square foot patio where 40-plus guests can sit and enjoy an uninterrupted view of the Rainbow Wharf and the sea. O’Brien & Fuerst Logging’s locally harvested red and yellow cedar was used to make the deck, there’s an outdoor grilling area, streetlamp-style patio heaters and even some lounge-style seating. It’s got sunny day fun times written all over it… heck, even if it’s raining, there are some places to enjoy a meal under the area that is covered.

New for this venue: until 10pm, children are welcome when accompanied by an adult and the entire premises are served by a state-of-the-art security system.

The Axe and Anchor employs a full crew of bartenders, servers, and kitchen staff. Looking forward to providing jobs for locals, Charleen is especially excited to mentor some of Haida Gwaii’s young people.

I’ve been in the food industry for over 25 years.” Charleen concludes. “I want to offer people high quality, approachable food and create a fun environment where people want to go out and enjoy themselves!

For hours, events and menu, check out the Axe and Anchor Facebook or Instagram pages. Have an event you would like to celebrate? Email Charleen at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .