Wyrd Leatherworks and Meadery Has a New Home in Milwaukie

Back in January 2026, Wyrd Leatherworks and Meadery announced that they chose to not to renew their lease that ends in June 2026. This means that they needed to find a new location, because they emphasized, “Wyrd is not closing.”

The good news is that they did find a new space. Fast forward to now and they are hard at work bringing their dreams to life in Milwaukie. Travis Sigler, Wyrd’s owner, and I had an email exchange over what is to come for Castle Wyrd, and here’s what I’ve learned.

Wyrd: What’s in a Name?

First, the word “Wyrd” is pronounced like “weird,” and not “word.” I’d been saying it as the former for a while, so I’m glad to have been corrected. On their website they talk a bit about the origins of the name.

It is, “a concept in Anglo-Saxon culture roughly corresponding to fate or personal destiny. The word is ancestral to Modern English weird, whose meaning has drifted towards an adjectival use with a more general sense of ‘supernatural’ or ‘uncanny,’ or simply ‘unexpected.'”

Travis also said, “The term Wyrd symbolizes the Norns in Norse Mythology, and represents past, present, and future.”

Wyrd: How it Started

Wyrd was founded by Tayler Toll and Travis Sigler, with the idea arising in 2017. That year they made their first mead, and then the business came to life in 2018. They opened Wyrid originally in Milwaukie, where Travis was born and raised. There, they produced their first commercial batch of semi-sweet traditional mead.

They moved to their current location in Portland in 2020 during the pandemic, which brought along its own set of challenges. Travis said, “Looking back now, we were absolutely crazy to take our current location on in the start of a global pandemic.” They spent three months—an entire summer—and a lot of money building out the space, which had been seriously neglected. This included cleaning, repairing, and installing new plumbing, “just to turn an abandoned basement into what you see today.”

Over time they created an atmospheric and fun environment in which to enjoy their mead, admire and buy handmade leather goods, enjoy some food, and absorb the whole awesome vibe. Tayler left in 2022, which leaves Travis to helm this move and creation of Castle Wyrd, the name they’ve dubbed the new location.

Wyrd as a Positive Force

Travis has found that Wyrd has been the source of great positivity in his life. “Wyrd allowed me to have creative freedom over my profession in my adult life,” he explained. “It’s brought me into so many industries—from film, to celebrities, to amazing friendships, to cosplay and ren faires, to new doors opening all the time. It’s been a happy place to thousands and thousands of people.”

He added, “There’s so many different memories, stories and tales that people have experienced just from this business, and it is truly humbling to hear how much this dream of mine has touched the hearts of so many around the globe.”

Prior to Wyrd: Travis’ Work in Hospitality

One of Travis’s first jobs was at one of Milwaukie’s classic businesses: Great American Video and Espresso, located on King Road. And the concept for Wyrd brewed while he was working in the warehouse at Dark Horse Comics/Things from Another World. DHC/TAW has had a large presence in Milwaukie over the years.

“My passion has always been with all things medieval, fantasy, nerdy, and geeky growing up, said Travis. “So after years of making leather items for cosplay, and then finally starting batches of mead in the closet, Wyrd was born right here in Milwaukie, Oregon.”

Wyrd Leatherworks and Meadery: The New Location

The new location, which is almost four times the size of their current one, is in pretty good shape, especially compared to what they were up against in 2020. And it’s really close to the original Wyrd location in Milwaukie, which Travis finds both funny and awesome. “I remember passing by this castle-looking building and wanting it, but Wyrd was barely starting,” he said.

He added, “We struggled with getting just a tiny shop going, and began building everything from the ground up, with zero capital. We took zero loans. Now we are returning 9 years later with an army, The Warriors of Wyrd.”

As he mentioned earlier, the word “Wyrd” as a symbol represents past, present, and future. 
“I think seeing this building back then was a symbol of working towards something, even if I didn’t know it at the time,” he remarked.

Note: Google seems to think they are in Oak Grove, but YMMV.

The Space

Travis says that getting the space to where they want it to be is something the Wyrd community is excited to help out with. He’s been coordinating with the community and a variety of artists, crafters, regulars, and longtime friends to bring out the best dreams of Wyrd. “Wyrd has become a beacon for community and we pride ourselves on being a light in the dark for many,” said Travis.

He continued, “With this next chapter, it will be even cooler to have the community involved slightly to help us create an even more immersive, medieval fantasy castle where folks can continue to dress up, garb up, and create even more memories like they have for years at our current location.”

Things they look forward to bringing to Castle Wyrd—along with the fact that it is a brand new, fresh space—include rooms for tastings, celebrations, and other gatherings. They also will host leather workshops with local artisans. Of course, there will be plenty of mead. And “pure castle vibes.” I’m particularly intrigued by whatever “hidden easter eggs and secrets waiting to be uncovered.”

Crowdfunding for Wyrd Leatherworks and Meadery

One of the ways they are bringing Castle Wyrd to life is through their crowdfunding campaign. As of the writing of this article, they are more than two-thirds of the way to their $30,000 goal. As a gauge as to how much their supporters believe in them, they raised 25% of their initial goal in less than 24 hours.

They wrote on the crowdfunding page, “In the event that we exceed our goal here, we will be putting the extra funds to work for more decor, increased ambiance, and any additional equipment we might need for smoother operations. This might look like a new bar tap system, or additional lighting, or more wooden long tables, carved statues, and anything you might spot in a medieval fantasy castle mead hall.” They aim to be fully transparent when it comes to how they spend the funds generated by this fundraising campaign (you can see some of the breakdown here).

Where Will the Mead Be Made?

I wondered where their mead will be made, now that they have a new, bigger location. Will they move the operation to Milwaukie or leave things in their current facility? “This is to be determined,” Travis explained. “I currently have a warehouse location where we ferment all of Wyrd’s meads, but it would be pretty sweet to have it all in one location.” Hard to argue with that.

They are currently putting their focus energy on the main phase of getting the tasting room established and operating. After that is locked in, they can assess if they have adequate space for mead making. But it’s definitely something on their minds.

Wyrd Leatherworks and Meadery Is a Tasting Room (but There Is Access to Food)

Travis says that a lot of folks assume Wyrd is a bar, and that is a misconception. They are technically a wine tasting room and leather goods manufacturer, not a restaurant or a bar.

“A lot of folks assume we are a bar, but I try to get as many people to correctly label us so we can set the expectations ahead of time for people,” remarked Travis. “We are not a restaurant either, so don’t expect big fancy meals.”

However, there is a food element to the tasting room, and compared to what they offer now, it will be pretty much the same. That includes baked goods from Tipping the Scales, a vegan bakery. “We get amazing light grub options [from them] such as soft pretzels, pretzel pockets (pepperoni, breakfast, cheeseburger), sweet rolls that are made to mirror the ones in Skyrim, banana bread, and other seasonal items,” he explained.

They also allow in outside food from Loly Mexican Food, their taco truck on site. “I have mentioned to the new landlord my interest in getting them to follow us over to this new location,” said Travis. “Our community absolutely adores their food. (The carnitas and pollo street tacos are my favorites!) There is also a pizza shop in the new spot, so I imagine we will allow slices of their foods in our tasting hall too, assuming the operating hours match-up.”

That pizza shop, Milwaukie Pizza Co, is located just a few doors down from where Wyrd will be. Also: There looks like a good amount of parking in the lot, too.

When a Door Closes, a Window Opens

I asked Travis if he feels any melancholy about leaving the Holgate space, or if he was more excited about what is to come. He replied, “I’d say a little bit of both.”

He continued, “This location is what put us on the map. The echoes of so many hours of memories still play in my head. Some happy, some bittersweet.

“There’s a lot of personal feelings attached here, people who were once in my life who have parted ways. Without going too much into my personal life, let’s just say I have felt for the past two years as if I am ‘the last one’ here of the original crowd. At times I felt alone, or working the grind with no passion etc. But now the passion is starting to return. We have an amazing crew, the community is what has held this all together.

“This new adventure just feels right. A new fresh start with new memories. I am not the same person I was back then, and so much growth and personal development has happened since then. My journey with gym and fitness paired with traditional Okinawan Karate under Sensei Reed Secunda at Shudokan School of Karate has really helped me become a stronger and more resilient person, both physically and mentally.”

Timeline for Reopening of Wyrd Leatherworks and Meadery

Travis would like the new location operational by end of May—not necessarily that they will be totally open by then, but he’d like to have a peaceful and seamless transition from their current spot on Holgate into the Castle. “As a small business we really can’t afford any closures,” said Travis. “Once we wrap up the last day at our current location, we will in like a single weekend move all our remaining things to the castle.”

For those who visit Wyrd at their current location, just know that items may start to disappear from the tasting hall over the next few months as they move to the Castle.

Final Thoughts

“I am excited to take this to the next level,” said Travis. And from checking in on their Instagram page, the team is working hard to level up into this new space. Wyrd has been for its lifespan a place of escape, where people can take time out from the challenges of the world and immerse themselves in a totally different environment that aims to welcome your unique spirit.

I liked this statement on a recent instagram post:

“Year nine is The Year of Fellowship for us. This new space is the biggest adventure and risk we have ever taken and is built by the community, for the community. Follow your dreams. Keep going. Castle Wyrd Rises.”

All the best to Travis and his team as they continue to prepare Castle Wyrd for a fabulous future of joy and happiness in mead and friendship.

Castle Wyrd, AKA Wyrd Leatherworks and Meadery
Exact address to come, located in Milwaukie
Wyrd website | Instagram | Facebook