mattw.fn_blog()

Ten years ago, I lived on Melrose and Thomas, just down from the the little blue building now known as The Drinkmore. Back then, it wasn’t a coffee shop, it was two retail spaces, a convenience store and a mom and pop dry cleaner. I never had anything to dry clean, but I bought my cigarettes every day from the ancient asian man in the little store. Right on the corner, it was obviously the easiest route to fix my habit, but there was always something I liked about the place. It always looked like a hurricane had blown through it. Hunting for beer was always an adventure as nothing was ever in the same place twice, the aisles were a mix of new and ancient refrigerators, all the food that you could find in a box or a can, and pretty much anything you would need to fix something in your apartment. Henry, the owner, was of an un-identifiable-but-old age, spoke very little english and I dont think he cared. Other than hello, the price of an item, or thank you, nothing really made sense. He would say things, you would nod confusion, and then he would laugh as you left the store and asked your friend if he knew what was just said. On days when I wasn’t in a hurry, I would hang out and talk to him. Our language was pointing, laughing, and hand gestures. Whenever I left, I was always in a better mood.

When I moved off the Hill, I found another place to buy my cigarettes and beer and didnt think much of it. When I moved back to the neighborhood, I noticed that the little store was closed, the dry cleaner was gone (which was a shame now that I had some shirts that needed cleaning). After some time, a small software company called Bitstar moved in. Walking by the place every day going to work, I would look inside. There were three clocks on the wall noting the time in San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver, as well as a big red phone booth. Books were stacked by the window and you could generally hear music coming from it’s walls. It looked interesting.

One day, I walked by, and noticed the espresso cart and the open sign. While I wasn’t paying attention, the software company had evolved into a cafe. I had to check it out. The inside of the coffee shop was all salvaged, I recognized some of it from the old store. It had a good feel to it. Comfortable, definitely not corporate. The staff was friendly, and the coffee was Vivace. I was hooked. It became my regular coffee hangout, and again, on those days when I wasn’t in a hurry, I would always find good conversation, and leave in a better mood.

Over the years, I’ve met and chatted with scores of neighbors, and had many many double tall almond lattes. In the true spirit of the neighborhood coffee shop, National and local politics were always hot topics, and everyone always participated.

At one point, the owner Scott, tired of our current mayor, decided to run for mayor himself. He coordinated his campaign out of the shop. He didn’t win, but it was really great to watch someone frustrated by the system jump in rather than just bitch or try to subvert it.

The Bistar has had a front row seat for much of the Seattle Wireless shenanigans as well. Bitstar became a seattlewireless node in 2001, and later, the tuesday destination for wireless hackery. During that time, Scott changed the name to The Drinkmore, but for many of us, it’s still The Bitstar Cafe. In less than a week though, it will be torn down to make way for some more condos.

Our last hacknight at The Drinkmore was December 2003, but we didn’t really give the place a sendoff. We should.

I for one will be there on Saturday, drinking a beer for Henry, wishing Scott luck in his new ventures, and saying farewell to the blue tin shack on the corner. I hope you will join me.