Sarah Bennett

About a year ago, I wrote a post about Wayward Coffeehouse, an independent coffee shop in Greenwood, Seattle which I love dearly. However, as of November 2010, Wayward is closed - for now. On November 22nd another business in the building experienced an accidental electrical fire, causing smoke and water damage to all three of the building's tenants... including Wayward. 

According to fire department estimates, the building itself sustained $100,000 in damage with an additional $200,000 in damage to its contents. Rite Zone, the business where the fire began, didn't have insurance. The news was shared by Wayward in December that the building owners are refusing to execute the repairs to the building that would allow Wayward to re-open their doors after the fire. 

Those who have visited Wayward may be familiar with their commitment to providing a gathering place for numerous groups active in the community, in addition to their commitment to serving delicious organic coffee and noshables from morning 'til night. Over the months I have gone to Wayward I learned that every time I went in could very well expect to run into a gaggle of local steampunk enthusiasts, a sci-fi movie viewing or book reading by a local author. In short - Wayward loves geeks, geeks love Wayward... and this geek in particular misses them very much. 

Seattle Browncoats Charities has started a fund to help support Wayward's continued effort to re-open their doors. Those interested can join the cause by donating to the Wayward Phoenix Fund and helping the shop get back on its feet in spite of the current challenges. You can also follow Wayward Coffeehouse on Twitter to keep abreast of events as they move towards reopening!

A Seattle neighborhood is defined by its independent coffee shop, perhaps more than any other eatery. We are a city known for our espresso - while Seattle may have fame as the home of a particular global coffee shop empire, most Seattle natives will eschew these offerings in favor of a locally owned and operated cafe. My favored source to feed this ubiquitous Northwest addiction is Wayward Coffeehouse, a unique Greenwood coffee shop.

Like any other small business, each local coffee shop has a personality. Some specialize in the chrome-and-wood upscale ambiance, some are more well known for their baked goods than their beanjuice, and some are comfortable enough to remind you of your own living room, full of comfy couches and intimate seating arrangements.

As a self-described dork, Wayward quickly won my heart with their application of (admittedly nerdy) terminology for their drinks. Nothing puts me on edge going into a cookie-cutter coffee shop and feeling like the barista is going to throw a portafilter at me for lowering their property values if I show up "as you are" on a Sunday morning. If I feel like coming in for coffee wearing vorpal bunny slippers, pulling up a chair in the corner with my laptop and spending three hours cranking out character sheets for my next D&D game... then dangit, that's what I'm going to do. A cafe shouldn't stress you out, it should be a place you're comfortable. This Greenwood coffee shop lends itself well to a relaxed feel.

For some folks, including myself, coffee shops are a special blessing when trying to get things done at home just doesn't work. If I have some emails to catch up on or some sketchbook pages to finish, I'm going to have much better luck at a coffee shop because I won't have a pile of dirty dishes in the other room screaming for attention - and I know I'm not the only person who's the same way. Take heart, my easily distracted locals! This Greenwood coffee shop has a plethora of tables and more homey seating arrangements in addition to their coffee, tea, and sandwiches. It's the next best thing to home, especially when being home means pushing a vacuum around for three hours.

Not everyone is a fan of straight espresso (which, even at its best, can have a certain "I feel like someone just punched me in the face with a shot glass full of jet fuel!" quality) and this coffee shop has a varied selection of delicious latte and mocha flavors handily recorded on the whiteboard for your drinking pleasure. Whether you like it sweet, spicy, or strong - you'll find your drink here, as well as tasty sandwiches and berry-frosted sugar cookies. Yum! My favorite drink at this unique coffee shop is the Muad'Dib latte, which is full of spicy goodness like real ginger and wakes you up faster than any straight espresso drink could dare attempt. For those of you who have read Dune - fear not - while the addictive deliciousness may bring imaginary desert spices to mind, it does not actually taste like sand. 

This coffee shop is also more than bit of a neighborhood nexus. If I spend more than fifteen minutes at the coffee shop, instead of just running in for a drink and then running back out to catch the bus, I almost always run into someone I know. Who doesn't love that? If your solo study session has turned into a gabfest, you're likely not going to get much work done, but at least you're having fun, right?

So, whether or not you're part of the Bene Gesserit - whether or not you know what a Browncoat is - and whether you just need to get some work done or you're hoping for an impromptu game of Apples to Apples: let this Greenwood coffee shop love you, and your friends, as you are.

Wayward Coffeehouse
8570 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle WA 98103
Phone: (206) 706-3240
http://www.waywardcoffeehouse.com
An Independent Greenwood Coffee Shop

Open 7 days a week, 6:30 AM to 11 PM M-F and 7 AM to 11 PM on weekends
Sci-fi & fantasy film viewings on the first Friday of the month

Check out Wayward and other great independent Greenwood coffee shops on Indie Coffee Shops!
This is a great resource for the diehard supporters of local coffee shops who can't go a day without their fix.

Greenwood is a growing Seattle neighborhood featuring a charming variety of new and existing businesses and low residential density. While it may at first seem unlikely that a neighborhood this far from the urban core would have much to offer in the way of bars and other nightlife, this unique area of Seattle is home to many of the greatest bastions of our city's kitsch culture: the Greenwood karaoke bar.

Nestled up to intersection where Holgate meets 105th Street - arguably the dividing line which separates the Greenwood neighborhood proper from Broadview and Bitter Lake to the north - the Rickshaw is the most reliable karaoke spot Seattle has to offer. The neon trimmed pagoda-like exterior belies a comfortable and recently remodeled bar and restaurant.

Like the borough itself, this karaoke bar reflects an excellent synergy of the old and new: old mirrors from the restaurant's previous incarnation sit side by side on the freshly painted lacquer-red walls. The obligatory disco ball takes its rightful place above the impromptu "stage" at the front of the bar when the dividers open up at 9 PM, transforming the Greenwood karaoke bar and restaurant into a boisterous festival, powered by the allure of potential public embarrassment and camaraderie with near-strangers.

The clientele at this Greenwood karaoke bar is an even mix of neighborhood regulars and occasional visitors who wish take advantage of the location's suitability for birthday or bachelorette karaoke parties. Some evenings move at a pleasantly relaxed pace, and some other nights... usually weekends... quite literally involve people dancing in the halls. (If you come here on a Tuesday, familiarity with the ins and outs of the Time Warp is strongly suggested.) Blessedly, most of the patrons who are outgoing enough to sing in the bar are at least reasonably skilled entertainers. A good karaoke rotation - dance accompaniment notwithstanding - is an art which can induce both quiet awe and hidden schadenfreude in equal measure.

Regardless of the vibe on any given night, some things stay the same - the drinks are solid and the Chinese food is, by and large, edible. The pot stickers are homemade, delicious, and roughly the size of your fist; unfortunately shrimp chips are basically fish-flavored packing peanuts no matter where you get them. Staff members, from the ladies behind the bar to the servers, are exceptionally personable given the number of inebriated karaoke bar weirdos they interact with on a nightly basis.

Nervous Nellies and first-time bar singers will find themselves soothed and encouraged by the experienced karaoke hostess, Patty. As a reluctantly picky eater, I have also experienced a pleasant degree of patience from both front of the house and kitchen staff when placing special orders: Go through more water than a cracked radiator? Want tofu instead of chicken? Hold the water chestnuts, pea pods and bamboo shoots? No problem.

Nightlife spots like this local karaoke bar help shape the unique Greenwood atmosphere by bringing the existing and evolving aspects of the area together. As the neighborhood continues to grow and change, I look forward to seeing how this and other local businesses maintain the charm and personality of this often-overlooked Seattle borough.

The Rickshaw Restaurant & Lounge
322 North 105th Street Seattle, WA 98133-8706
Phone: (206) 789-0120
http://www.therickshaw.net

Open 7 days a week from 10 AM until 2 AM
Karaoke bar every night at 9 PM