RSSNorth Town Coffeehouse -- Upscale but relaxed vibe
ON Magazine
Evening outside North Town coffee in Yakima, Wash., Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008.
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It wasn't too long ago that the corner of North First and A streets had the look and feel of a place you didn't want to be after dark.
Now, with the Cascade Apartments' eye-catching brick-red paint job, the old-fashioned light posts and the new sidewalks, this shabby corner has shined up nicely.
And the most striking presence is the North Town Coffeehouse, which opened in late July at 28 N. First St. Outside, people chat under large, striped umbrellas. Inside, folks quietly tap away on their laptops.
For Gabe Slatten, who lives just a few blocks away, it's become a regular hangout.
"First, it's got great coffee," says the 28-year-old Slatten. "But also, the people who work there are great people. ... It's got a hip vibe. It's something different."
Bright and airy with a couple of comfy armchairs, brick accents, a 1900s-era tin ceiling (and matching counter) and time-stained wood floors, North Town indeed has an upscale yet relaxed vibe.
That look, plus free wireless Internet and late hours -- it's open until midnight Fridays and Saturdays -- have made it popular among the downtown professionals powering up for the daily grind as well as teens, 20- and 30-somethings looking for a place to hang out. Even into the evening and after dark, the shop is alive and vibrant.
"I love drinking a beer, I love going to the bar, but this is cool because it's an alternative," says the 28-year-old Slatten, a sessions and studio drummer in Seattle who also works part time at Valley Cycling and Fitness.
"And it brings in a younger crowd," adds Slatten, who's played there twice with local singer-songwriter Chad Bault.
Owner Dave Tompkins opened North Town hoping to create a place with atmosphere -- historic and hip -- that would cater to a wide range of people. And serve really good coffee.
By most accounts, he's succeeded.
"I looked at Portland's and Seattle's coffeehouses; they all had character," says the 54-year-old Tompkins. "That's what we are hoping to capture."
Although Tompkins and his late wife ran a collectibles business for seven years, this is his first foray into the coffee biz. But, as a former youth pastor, Tompkins has spent a lot of time hanging out at Starbucks.
But running a cookie-cutter coffee shop wasn't what he was after. Instead, North Town serves Stumptown Coffee out of Portland, which is roasted by hand in small batches, and North Town's baristas focus on the art of espresso. They also make gelato from ingredients imported from Italy.
Free WiFi was also a must, says Tompkins, as were the late hours and downstairs area, which has already been used for intimate concerts and swing dance sessions.
"A lot of people say this is the kind of place that Yakima needs -- I'm not exactly sure what they mean," says Tompkins, who was admittedly surprised back in August at the shop's immediate success.
And while the newness has worn off a bit, Tompkins says North Town has established a good customer base.
"I think," he says, "this will be a happening place down here."
If you go
WHO: North Town Coffeehouse.
WHEN: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 6 a.m. to midnight Fridays, 7 a.m. to midnight Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays.
WHERE: 28 N. First St.
WHAT: Stumptown Coffee, gelato, small selection of sandwiches and baked goods, free wireless Internet, outside seating (weather permitting).
And while supplies last, you can order up a $14 cup of coffee made from Nicaraguan beans that Stumptown bought at auction for $47.06 per pound. According to buystumptowncoffee.com: "Its thick caramel notes, Granny Smith apple, kiwi and apricot flavors had us awestruck and thirsting for more."
UPCOMING EVENTS:
* Sunday -- Open mike night.
* Thursdays -- "The Office" viewing/gathering.
* Oct. 3 -- The Trucking Co. featuring Chad Bault and Gabe Slatten. (Folk-rock.)
* Oct. 4 -- Matt Bauer (indie-folk) and Josh Vega (indie-country).
* Oct. 11 -- Swing dancing.
* Oct. 17 -- Dennis Clauss band.
* Oct. 18, 7:30-11 p.m. -- Swing dancing.
INFO: Call 895-7600 or visit www.northtowncoffee.com.
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