Local Lift: Orlando's Southern BBQ, Varner Candle Company, Kraken's Cove, & The Scone Lady Bakery GIVEAWAY
This week's Local Lift has a little bit of everything: Southern BBQ, a DIY candle bar, steak and seafood in one of Oak Harbor's oldest buildings, and a bakery that just moved to town.
Local Lift is one of the ways I like to support independent businesses here on Whidbey. With each Local Lift, I purchase gift certificates to local businesses and give them away to the community, all while shining a spotlight on what makes each place so great.
Thanks for stopping by!
Please note that I will NEVER ask for credit card info from you! AnnieCashTeam.com is my only website, and "Annie Cash Team - Windermere Whidbey Island" is my only Facebook business page. Thank you!
This week's giveaway includes:
Two $40 gift cards to Orlando's Southern BBQ
Two $30 gift cards to Varner Candle Company
Two $50 gift cards to Kraken's Cove
Two $20 gift cards to The Scone Lady Bakery
Winners will be drawn at random. To enter, head on over to my Facebook page to find this Local Lift giveaway post and follow the instructions. (All you have to do is leave a comment on the Facebook post that features this giveaway to enter!)
Deadline for giveaway entries is 5pm PST on October 7, 2026.
Please note that I will NEVER ask for credit card info from you! AnnieCashTeam.com is my only website, and "Annie Cash Team - Windermere Whidbey Island" is my only Facebook business page. Thank you!
Orlando's Southern BBQ
Orlando's Southern BBQ at 656 SE Bayshore Drive is a family-owned Oak Harbor favorite with one goal: bring the food and hospitality of the South to Whidbey Island. Meats are smoked daily, sauces are made from scratch, the sweet tea is brewed in house, and the fried catfish recipe is the real deal. Brisket, ribs, pulled pork, smoked chicken wings, mac and cheese, hush puppies, and more are all on the menu. There's a full bar too, with whiskey, bourbon, draft beer, and craft cocktails. Ms. Jackie, who has lived in Oak Harbor for over 30 years, runs the place with the help of her five sons, and that family feel comes through.
To learn more about Orlando's Southern BBQ, visit their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
Varner Candle Company
Varner Candle Company Candle Bar & Boutique in Downtown Oak Harbor lets you make your own custom candle from start to finish. Pick a vessel, choose from more than 50 fragrances, blend your own signature scent with help from a scent specialist, and pour it yourself using all-natural soy wax. Your candle needs about 90 minutes to cool, which is the perfect excuse to wander downtown and grab a bite or do some shopping. It's a fun one for a friend date, a celebration, or a group outing. Walk-ins are welcome, and reservations are available online.
Kraken's Cove
Kraken's Cove at 940 SE Pioneer Way is a locally owned steak and seafood restaurant with water views in historic Downtown Oak Harbor. The building was constructed in the 1850s by sea captain Edward Barrington and has been a warehouse, a store, and a saloon over the years, so you're eating in a real piece of Oak Harbor history—so cool! The menu covers Pacific Northwest seafood, steaks, burgers, and more, and there's live music, a daily happy hour, and a Sunday brunch. The nautical decor makes it a fun spot to settle in for the evening.
To learn more about Kraken's Cove, visit their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
The Scone Lady Bakery
The Scone Lady Bakery is brand new to Oak Harbor! Owners Keneisia Smart-Gallegos and DJ Gallegos, Navy veterans who have called Oak Harbor home since 2013, recently moved the bakery here from La Conner and held their grand opening in late September at 31775 State Route 20. The scones are baked by hand using the original recipes from the bakery's founder. Tart lemon, lemon blueberry, raspberry, and marionberry are the mainstays, with pumpkin and cranberry coming for fall. Keneisia has been known to tell customers she'll refund anyone who doesn't like their scone, and so far she's never had to!
To learn more about The Scone Lady Bakery, visit their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
I love shining the spotlight on the amazing small businesses in Oak Harbor and Whidbey Island. Explore more Whidbey Island businesses here.