Get ready to greet the latest independent coffee shop. In this instance, an “aloha” will suffice.
Judging by its name, Aloha Cafe may seem like a tropical destination — which is perhaps a little too far to travel for a morning cup of coffee — but it is in fact very accessible.
Family-owned and operated, the one-and-only Aloha Cafe is located in Lynnwood, in a building formerly inhabited by Jiffy Lube. Open to the public for three months now, Aloha Cafe has undergone a remarkable transformation from car shop to cafe.
Remodel work included filling in inspection pits, removing walls, adding two bathrooms and other more minor changes. The only evidence of the building’s previous life are two garage doors, which the owners intend to open on sunny days.
“We pretty much had to do everything except build the whole building,” said manager Tori King, 27, who shares managerial duties with sister, Holly, 24.
The women’s parents, Astrid and Mike King, who reside in Mount Vernon, are the actual owners of the coffee shop, although they have handed over most all responsibilities to their daughters. The sisters presented the idea of opening a coffee shop to their parents, who readily agreed to fund the cafe.
The Lynnwood location is ideal, King said, because it is located near Edmonds Community College and there is enough room for students to stay and study. Another student perk: Free wireless Internet.
As the coffee shop is family-owned, it is not a surprise that the sisters favor using local, small-company products. Coffee beans come from Ravens Brew Coffee, in Tumwater.
A Woodinville catering company by the name of Lippincott Delivers does just that — delivers— prepackaged sandwiches and salads every other day. The sandwich selection includes roasted turkey (with lettuce, tomato, wheat bread and mayo), as well ham and cheese, vegetarian and roast beef. A fruit salad is available, as well as a tasty turkey, cranberry and Swiss salad, which includes pasta and celery.
Everything is fresh and natural, said King, who added that the milk includes no antibiotics nor hormones and is delivered by Medosweet Farms in Kent, also a family-owned business.
All pastries except bagels, which hail from Oasis Bagels, in Ravenna, are delivered by Lippincott Delivers. The “goodies” section on the menu lists many muffins, cookies, scones, pastries and croissants.
Daily drink specials are popular, said King, who cited “Tiki Two Stamp Tuesday” as the hit of the week; it’s the day where customers receive two stamps on their coffee cards. Other specials include Mahalo Mocha Monday (reduced price mocha), Wakeup Waikiki Wednesday (extra shot of espresso free), Tropical Thirsty Thursday (50 cents off), Lava Flowing Flavors Friday (two flavors free) and Hang Loose Weekends, with rotating specials.
The name Aloha Cafe was agreed on, said King, because her family appreciates Hawaiian culture and has visited the state on many occasions.
“We are from Washington, but wish to be from Hawaii,” King said.
For coffee connoisseurs in a rush, the coffee shop has a drive-thru window as well as an option to call ahead and order.
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