Tuesday, November 24, 2009

More Than Hot Coffee


More Than Hot Coffee
Photo & Text Copyright 2009 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
Drive through espresso stands featuring young baristas clad in lingerie or swim wear isn't a new business angle in Seattle, but this stand is fairly new to the Ballard neighborhood. I had not come across one with quite so bold a logo as this. Apparently its counterpart which just opened last weekend over in Bellevue, a well-to-do suburb on the Eastside of Lake Washington, is not going over well with some of the neighbors there. Ballard already has two strip clubs on the same street, so likely has taken Knotty Bodies in stride. The customers might think it steamy, while I'm thinking the barista might not: the temperature outside when I shot this was 11C/52F, but at least it wasn't raining :-).

11 comments:

unused said...

I love that the bottom of the stand is built at an angle matching the hill. Sure we see that with more permanent structures, but I always imagined these coffee stands were portable and could go anywhere. Although if the angle was removable then I guess this one still could.

The risque baristas on my commute seem to change ownership or at least the name and painting of the company quite frequently. Is that common of all of them?

Katney said...

Yakima has had some controversy over the "Brewlesque" drive throughs.

Kim, I walked in Phoenix last week. Maybe in Seattle again next Septmeber.

Pat said...

Kim, while waiting for the bus across the street from this espresso stand last summer, I got a photo of one of the baristas, but didn't dare post it.... Very revealing. Yours is a much more discreet and fit to post!

Maya said...

I hope they have some serious heat going on in there for the poor girl!

Virginia said...

You have got to be kidding me! I would never have thought something like this existed in the US but certainly not Seattle! whooo eeeee. I am LOL Kim.
Great shot. Somebody give that girl some .....gloves! :)
V

Anonymous said...

It's Bellevue, not Belleview!

Kim said...

Anon, Thank you!

Jim, I think that edge is added to sheds at installation should the owner wish. I have no information on length of operation of similar businesses.

Kateny, Glad you were able to travel and dothe Phoenix beast cancer walk and hope no bandages were needed! Hope to see you in September!

Bibi, oh my. When driving by I noticed a fully clothed man standing behind the closed window of this coffee hut and there were no customers, so I parked on a side street and walked back to take a photo of the stand thinking it would be a bit ironic. When I had walked far enough by to turn and take a shot of the front from the sidewalk, a car was just leaving, and this employee was reaching down for something at the open window. I wouldn't have posted something that would have put the employee in a bad light.

Maya, I'm sure they do.

Virginia, Hmmmm, do you mean you are surprised this exists in the US, especially Seattle, because of the inclement weather ? . . . hmmmmmm? Because, I'm thinking the US hasn't been "in Kansas anymore, Toto," for about 40 years now. You know, the gap between when Annette was a Mousekateer to when Britanny left the show? ;-) America seems to have embraced Viva Las Vegas, and especially true here in a port city with a gold rush past. To a lot of the world who reads US print media, hears our music and sees our movies, this is what they think US culture actually is. That's one of the great things about our photo blogs, V.--we get to show the many different facets of society in our cities.

Anon, thanks again. Perhaps I should start paying for your kind copy editing.

Luis Gomez said...

I hope at least the coffee is good. I just can't imagine anything similar in the streets of Washington, DC. which is very sad. ;-)

Virginia said...

Kim,
I guess I'm out of it down here in Bama! But Seattle doesn't seem like the kind of city where this would take off. (No pun intended-HA) Maybe Vegas is more like it. Anyway it's a great shot and great read.
V
PS and I never even thought of the weather!:)

Tash said...

Ha-ha. Great find. I too do hope the girl is warm enough - makes me wonder how I arrived at not being envious/not being outraged/just concerned.

Ming the Merciless said...

That better be some GOOD coffee! :-)