‘It is a home. It is YOUR home’: C & P Coffee announces it’s raised the money ‘to purchase and preserve the coffee house’

(Added: WSB photo taken this morning)

8:56 AM: Two months after we first reported that the site of C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) had been put up for sale by its longtime landlord – C & P has just announced that its subsequent push to purchase the property was a success.

(WSB file photo)

From proprietors Cameron and Pete Moores:

Dear West Seattle and Beyond,

It is with the most profound gratitude that we can say we have raised the funds needed to purchase and preserve the coffee house.

Thousands of us stood together to say that community matters, and that a true community space like the coffee house is worth saving. That same spirit and kindness has always made C & P what it is.

All those who gave through the GoFundMe or by other means directly contributed to our effort to save C & P. From the countless friends and Neighbors who gave hundreds to the Fairmount Park student who shyly slid a dollar across the bar; every donation mattered. Please know with pride that we couldn’t have done it without you. We look forward to building friendships and community with you for many years to come.

This effort would not have been possible without the advice and expertise of so many from our community. Although resolute, Cam and I were over our heads many times during this process. Our motto was; “They don’t know the amateurs they’re dealing with!” Although there are too many to thank here, we would like to especially acknowledge our lawyers Eric and Brock, John Babauta and HomeStreet Bank, and our dear friend and broker Roger Steiner of RSVP real estate. Thanks also to our incredible C & P crew for putting up with us during this process. We couldn’t have done it without all of you.

Kindness has always been the cornerstone of C & P. For 15 years we have opened our doors and welcomed a neighborhood in. But it wasn’t until the place was in Jeopardy that Cam and I truly learned what community means. Your kindness and commitment has shown us clearly that the coffee house is more than four walls. It is a place where neighbors meet and strangers become friends. It is a place where music and poetry and art are essential. It is a place where social justice is expected and fought for. It is a warm cozy room on a cold day. It is a home. It is YOUR home.

With much love and gratitude.
Cam and Pete

The crowdfunding campaign that helped enable the purchase was launched less than a week after first word the property was on the market. Days later, the listing showed the owner had accepted another prospective buyer’s offer, but C & P said their lease gave them right of first refusal, and they continued working to muster their own offer. They founded C & P 15 years ago, and along with serving coffee and other beverages, it is an event venue and community center – hosting hundreds of gatherings, performances, fundraisers, and more.

ADDED 10:12 AM: We went over to the shop and got the photo of Cameron that we’ve added above. She says they cannot comment yet on details of the deal.

87 Replies to "'It is a home. It is YOUR home': C & P Coffee announces it's raised the money 'to purchase and preserve the coffee house'"

  • Robert March 2, 2018 (8:58 am)

    Great news. Power of the people!

    • reggie March 2, 2018 (1:20 pm)

      huzzah!  sometimes the little guys & gals win… Happy ending

  • zephyr March 2, 2018 (9:15 am)

    That’s amazing!  How inspiring. 

    Congratulations! C & P and friends.  

    .

  • Kersti Muul March 2, 2018 (9:15 am)

    Dancing a jig right about now.

    Congratulations!!!!

    🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

  • BJG March 2, 2018 (9:16 am)

    Amazing great news! West Seattle folks can still come together for such a good purpose. Congrats C & P! 

  • pdid March 2, 2018 (9:17 am)

    REALLY great news! Cameron and Pete do SO MUCH for this community, so thankful they’ll continue to be a fixture of it for years to come!

  • Cid March 2, 2018 (9:20 am)

    Such good news! 

  • Jim Page March 2, 2018 (9:20 am)

    There’s no stopping us now.

  • I. Ponder March 2, 2018 (9:22 am)

    I’d love more details. Seems it’s not a deal until we hear from the building owner.

    • WSB March 2, 2018 (9:47 am)

      We just went over to see if Cameron and/or Pete were around to ask for more details. She says they cannot comment on the details right now. As for the property owners, they are in Ellensburg.

    • Brian Hughes March 2, 2018 (6:06 pm)

      The deal apparently took place at a crossroads. There was some sort of fiddle contest. Rosining of the bow, and what not. 

      ;-)

  • Kalo March 2, 2018 (9:23 am)

    This is a.w.e.s.o.m.e. news!

  • 35this35mph March 2, 2018 (9:24 am)

    Fantastic!

  • Pat Lennon March 2, 2018 (9:27 am)

    Congratulations! So happy for West Seattle and you and your family Cam and Pete.

  • Diane March 2, 2018 (9:27 am)

    whoa, that is AMAZING incredible news

  • Jill R. March 2, 2018 (9:31 am)

    This warms my heart. Congrats, guys! 

  • kumalavula March 2, 2018 (9:34 am)

    this is testimony to the power of people coming together in the community to make a community and preserve it!  so thrilled this had turned out in favor of you guys and even more excited to be able to come by and hang out. equally excited to be able to bring visitors to c&p and show off what we’ve all been able to do TOGETHER!

    viva c&p!

  • Trileigh March 2, 2018 (9:37 am)

    Yay C&P!! What wonderful news! I am so proud of West Seattle – what a great community we are. And a special shout-out to Roger Steiner, our wonderful realtor who helped us buy our house as well as helping Cam and Pete buy C&P! Thanks so much to everyone who contributed.

  • Eloise Richardson March 2, 2018 (9:41 am)

    That is so wonderful!

  • SaraB March 2, 2018 (9:42 am)

    Wonderful!  I feel renewed by this fantastic news.  I’m a long-time Seattleite, though relatively new to West Seattle, and I immediately found community at C&P,  both because of people and because of that unique, welcoming historic space.  I’m so glad we were able to save this part of our identity!  Kudos to everyone who joined together and refused to listen to the naysayers and poo-poo-ers and bow to the ever-encroaching pressures of short-sighted greed.  We are powerful together and this is an inspiring reminder that we CAN build a better world and we can only do it together.  Thank you, friends and neighbors, for restoring my faith in humanity, particularly on a local level.  

  • Marcee March 2, 2018 (9:46 am)

    I am tearing up. It wouldn’t be the same here without you and the shop. Thanks to you for not backing down and to everyone that pulled together to save our place of community. 

  • LatteRose March 2, 2018 (9:47 am)

    Wow, this makes me so happy!!  Congratulations!!

  • CM March 2, 2018 (9:48 am)

    Reading this seriously brought tears to my eyes.  With all of our local community spaces disappearing this is amazing news. Love being part of this community especially when you hear stories like this! 

  • Gia March 2, 2018 (9:54 am)

    Hooray! This is the best news of the week. <3
    Congratulations to C&P & cheers to many years to come!

  • Lawrence March 2, 2018 (10:01 am)

    I remember having a conversion with the owners right after this went out into the world a couple months ago and it makes me so so incredibly happy that this happened because people believed.    You might eventually be surrounded by towers but F em.   This is such a great story in the sense that people believed and if you believe you might not always come through but remember intent is everything.  People stepped upand showed that you can put giving and caring before profits and things can still work out. It really is.    What a great human story.   Thank you universe!  Hopefully what people learned from this i sthat even if the y could not have purchased it the way people did step up was amazing and try and keep that in mind all the time not only when things are bleakest.   Way to go!

  • Lisa March 2, 2018 (10:01 am)

    Yay!!!

  • dsa March 2, 2018 (10:02 am)

    fabulous 

  • Juanita March 2, 2018 (10:09 am)

    Wonderful news. Congratulations.  Now that it’s been rescued, I hope others discover you! 

    Nita, Sister of MIWS

  • Pam Neithercott March 2, 2018 (10:09 am)

    Yahoo! Aunt Dodo and Uncle Waddy are dancing’ in heaven!

  • Michael Schutzler March 2, 2018 (10:11 am)

    Fantastic!

  • Gary March 2, 2018 (10:16 am)

    ‘Real West Seattle’….preserved for the ages.  Awesome!

  • West Seattle since 1979 March 2, 2018 (10:28 am)

    Great news!

  • Cami MacNamara March 2, 2018 (10:30 am)

    Can I get a HELL YES?! So happy!

  • H March 2, 2018 (10:42 am)

    Wow! That’s wonderful news!!

  • Rosa Isela Rodriguez March 2, 2018 (10:55 am)

    WOW victory!! Great, awesome, amazing news!!! What a great way to start the weekend!! Thank you C&P and everyone that helped to make it happen 🏡 💕☕️

  • ethan March 2, 2018 (10:57 am)

    seems like a bit of a pyrrhic victory, what kind of local coffee shop is going to make enough in the owners life times to pay back a 1.5 million dollar mortgage? i can’t help but feel that they would have better served if they had taken the money raised and moved somewhere that made more sense.

    • WSB March 2, 2018 (11:05 am)

      As noted above, we don’t know the details of the deal yet … so we don’t know what kind of a mortgage they’ll have.

    • Alan A March 2, 2018 (4:43 pm)

      I’m sure glad that they did what they did!

    • Alex March 4, 2018 (8:10 am)

      Not to be negative,  but this is a legit point. Even with the most ideal terms, if they put down 20% the mortgage payment over 30 years would be in the $6,000+ range. Likely it’s even more than that because this will not have been a residential loan, but a business loan (higher risk, higher apr). And now they’re also on the hook for owner expenses, repairs, yard work, the new roof, etc. 

      I hope they they can sell  enough coffee, but it would truly need to be a LOT for this to work out. I suppose the silver lining is that in a worst case scenario the new owners can sell out in a few years at likely an even higher price, and use their newfound equity to help them retire.

  • sun*e March 2, 2018 (10:58 am)

    Congratulations!  That’s such great news! 😊👍☕️

  • Vanessa March 2, 2018 (11:09 am)

    Oh, me of little faith, I admit I didn’t think this could possibly happen. I have never been so happy to be so wrong about US against THEM. (well, maybe on some elections).

       CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE.  Happy Dance!!

  • Mary J March 2, 2018 (11:40 am)

    Congratulations Cam and Pete!

  • Astro March 2, 2018 (11:41 am)

    Happiness!!!!!!

  • Jennie March 2, 2018 (11:50 am)

    YES!!! :) :) :)

  • DG March 2, 2018 (12:10 pm)

    So many reasons to be grateful and happy.   For what it’s worth, I’m also grateful that the landlord/developer understood – at least recognized – the community that C&P has created for the West Seattle folks and beyond, and subsequently allowed this great result to happen.  Step one is done.  Now go buy your coffee!!  

  • 2cents? March 2, 2018 (12:46 pm)

    They had right of first refusal and they exercised it and that is cool.  The community came together to help them achieve their goal, which is also cool.  With that said, I fail to see how this is a victory for “the people”.  I guess I don’t understand, was some kind of social injustice happening here?  Should the previous owner not been allowed to sell it at market value?  Should another buyer who wanted to develop the property not been allowed to submit a bid?  Victory for achieving a goal is in order, but aside from it being an accomplishment, I fail to see how it is anything more.  Nobody would have been harmed either way.  Everyone exercised their rights, so I would stay away from trying to claim some moral high ground on this one.  There is too much of this in our society, very few things are clearly right or wrong, they just are.  Good for C&P, life goes on…

    • My two cents ... March 2, 2018 (2:36 pm)

      @ 2 cents (no connection to me) … Well said! It’s great that they are seemingly going to be able to stay, but the rest of the backlash over this story was unwarranted.

      What if …. wonder what the reaction will be if C&P decides to sell X years down the road to a “developer”? Will the pitchforks be out then?

    • Joan March 2, 2018 (3:26 pm)

      Point taken but I disagree. West seattle is choking from over development and replacing far too many  single family homes that have varied architectural character with multi-unit, interchangeable box structures that seem to complete construction in weeks. Sounded as if the owners of C&P were trying to sell the building and business out from under their tenants without regard for their first right of refusal until those tenants were able to bring in attorneys and garner financial support from their neighbors and the community at large. So it does sound ultimately like a victory for community – bravo West Seattle!

      • 2CENTS? March 2, 2018 (6:49 pm)

        Joan, you are illustrating my point.  Everything you just said is your opinion.  “West seattle is choking from over development”, don’t you think someone could have said the same thing when you moved here?  They are saying the same thing in Black Diamond right now because some don’t want to experience change.  I mean it is great that you were here before someone else, but does that make you more entitled to live here?  “Varied architectural character with multi-unit, interchangeable box structures”, someone clearly likes them, so you are elevating your tastes over someone else’s.  This doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game, can’t we all have different tastes and the right to live where we choose.  I’m sure someone could have said the same thing that liked craftsman-style that bemoaned all the mid-century moderns going up.  Having an eclectic neighborhood that speak to multiple eras is one of the nice things about living in a city.   Again, bravo to the owner’s of C&P, but this is not a moral victory.

    • natinstl March 2, 2018 (3:55 pm)

      It’s victory for the people who see them as part of a community and part of what makes up the fabric of the neighborhood.

    • Alan A March 2, 2018 (4:49 pm)

      Of course the owner had every right to sell for the market value.  The victory here is that C&P have run such a great business that “the people”  valued it enough to help keep it here.  There aren’t many businesses that could generate that kind of loyalty.

    • West Seattle since 1979 March 2, 2018 (5:42 pm)

      Of course the previous owner should be allowed to sell it at market value, but it’s nice that the proprietors are able to buy it with help from the community. It’s nice to be able to keep a popular place and a community asset in West Seattle!

  • Stephen M March 2, 2018 (12:57 pm)

    That is unbelievable & such great news! Cameron & Pete and the whole community that came together in support of the institution that is C & P Coffee are truly inspirational.

    Hearty congratulations on your successful campaign and efforts to save the shop. I look forward to many coffeehouse evenings ahead in the years to come!

  • West Seattle Resident March 2, 2018 (1:00 pm)

    Congrats!!!! But you basically had to create a go fund me site in order to stay in business.  So does that mean people that donated are part owners now?  $1.5m is a boat ton of money just save one local coffee shop in a sea of many other coffee shops.  Schools need money, poor kids don’t have enough food to eat but the upper echelon now has their coffee shop.  To the owners of C&P, please take this money and opportunity to  give back to the community.  You owe them.  

    • WSB March 2, 2018 (5:07 pm)

      Hi! Part of the reason this happened, if you are not familiar with C & P, is that it is not “one local coffee shop in a sea of other coffee shops.” This one has long “given back to the community.” Above and beyond the call of duty. Many small businesses are the lifeblood of the community – sponsoring events, teams, activities, etc. – and supporting other small businesses (like ours) – and that’s something for community-concerned residents to consider when they decide where to spend their money. Anyway, since we keep a calendar as well as covering events, we happen to know all this firsthand, and C&P is one place that already overflows with giving. Ongoing drives for WestSide Baby, food banks … offering space for community events from advocacy (The Whale Trail) to the arts (WordsWest Literary Series, PoetryBridge) to bazaars for local craftspeople and artists to sell their stuff … and that’s just a bit of the story. P.S. I would wager that many if not all of the donors also contribute to the drives hosted here and elsewhere for students, people experiencing hunger, etc. – TR

  • Emily March 2, 2018 (1:06 pm)

    So very pleased for you and your C & P family!

  • Beth Greve March 2, 2018 (1:13 pm)

    This is SUCH wonderful, important news for our community!

  • Raised in WS March 2, 2018 (1:16 pm)

    Heck yeaahhhhh!!!!!!

  • skeeter March 2, 2018 (1:19 pm)

    2cents – this is a victory for the people because the previous model of raising business capital was through debt (taking out a loan) or equity (selling a share of the business.)  It seems to me the new model, at least on smaller ventures, is to ask folks who believe in the cause to simply put a little something in the hat.  The business owner can then run the business without worrying about paying back loans or satisfying shareholders.  I’ve been seeing more and more of this in the past few years.

    Look – I don’t have the details of this transaction so who knows how this really went down.  But it is a remarkable feat and another data point on the changing way we view business models.

     I didn’t think it’d be possible to get to $1.5M.  Congratulations to all on this amazing achievement. 

    • Swede. March 2, 2018 (2:44 pm)

      Pretty sure it’s not the full amount raised, ‘just’ the 20% down payment that the banks want and then they got a loan/mortage. Still a very impressive amount from people and a good thing that the place stays! 

  • KD March 2, 2018 (1:21 pm)

    PAARRRRRTTTTYYYYY!!! Congratulations.. this is worthy of a story, seriously, like 60 Minutes, or in People Magazine, not just local news.

  • miws March 2, 2018 (1:29 pm)

    Congrats to Cam, Pete, and the C&P family and community! 

    Mike

  • dcn March 2, 2018 (1:36 pm)

    I love C&P coffee, and am very happy that they are able to stay in the neighborhood and that the beautiful house won’t be torn down.

    What I am wondering is, say in 3 or 5 or 10 years, the owners decide to close their shop? Despite their current intentions, Cameron and Pete might have a family emergency and need to move out of state, or something. Do they get to sell the house at market value, and keep the proceeds, do they return any of the money donated through the GoFundMe account, or do they guarantee they will not sell to a developer? 

    Put another way, are there any strings attached to those funds that were raised to preserve not the just the coffee shop, but the house itself?  My guess (and I could be wrong) is that the answer is that the new owners will be able to keep all the profit from the sale of the property and will be able to sell it to whomever they wish.

    That may be fine with everyone who donated, but it would be sad to see so much effort put in to save the property (with all its neighborhood character), only to have it be potentially sold (and probably demolished) down the road. 

    • SaraB March 2, 2018 (2:31 pm)

      The beautiful thing about gifts is that they are given without strings attached.  I was lucky enough to be in a financial position to donate  to the fund to allow C&P to buy the building.  My hope is that they will use the money to continue the business for as long as possible, but I went in with my eyes open. If something changes, I hope the community can come together again in the same remarkable and inspiring way we have just done.  Let’s take a moment to savor this victory.   Jumping ahead to sadness over something that hasn’t happened yet, and hopefully won’t happen, would deflate this awesome demonstration of the power of a great community.  

      • dcn March 2, 2018 (5:27 pm)

        Well said, Sarab. You are right. 

    • Mike March 2, 2018 (5:26 pm)

      I believe the extra donation money will be claimed as revenue for the company and taxed accordingly.  I’m sure a CPA would know how the IRS will tap into the extra funds to purchase the place.  Would be interesting if it can be turned into a co-op since it’s been purchased with funds of group.  Good to see it sticking around, might go there this weekend for some coffee.

      • Gift Exclusion March 2, 2018 (7:29 pm)

        Pretty sure any individual can give another individual up to $15,000 per year (2018 limit) with no tax implications to the giver or receiver.  Go Fund Me proceeds fall under this. 

    • Brian Hughes March 2, 2018 (5:59 pm)

      There are no strings. They can use the donated money however they wish. Now, if they have other actual partners with deeper pockets and a legal agreement, the operating agreement will determine how to wind it all down. 

  • Beth March 2, 2018 (2:31 pm)

    Cameron and Paul

    So excited for you guys. ❤️🎉

    Love good news.

  • Swede. March 2, 2018 (2:46 pm)

    That’s some awesome news! 

    Congrats Cam and Pete but also West Seattle to getting to keep a gem of a business like this! 

  • fauntfem March 2, 2018 (3:08 pm)

     That’s great news!!

  • Jennifer Carrasco March 2, 2018 (3:26 pm)

    Of course I am over the moon with this good news….The Leviathon has been stymied!

  • FridaK March 2, 2018 (3:29 pm)

    YAY!!!!!!!! Such good news!!!!

  • Brenda March 2, 2018 (7:02 pm)

    Great news! 

  • Bridgett March 2, 2018 (7:58 pm)

    Love C&P. LOVE West Seattle!

  • David March 2, 2018 (8:44 pm)

    Wow. I can’t believe it worked. Amazing!

  • Paul March 3, 2018 (12:13 am)

    You should have offered equity to your potential participants. You have taken capital that could have otherwise been allocated by the potential participants to a business that would have provided an economic return in addition to the satisfaction of continued delivery of the product.

  • David Kerlick March 3, 2018 (6:58 am)

    A big win for Community! 

  • Enid March 3, 2018 (9:06 am)

    What if the coffee shop became a cooperative?  Isn’t that essentially what has happened?

  • Indigo March 3, 2018 (10:21 am)

    Out of towners who were introduced to C&P Coffee. Made our stay even sweeter. Nice job rallying people! 

  • Sean March 3, 2018 (10:33 am)

    Long live C&P!

  • I. Ponder March 3, 2018 (5:27 pm)

    “It is with the most profound gratitude that we can say we have raised
    the funds needed to purchase and preserve the coffee house.”

    Can we assume this statement means the seller has accepted their offer? Call me a skeptic, call me wrong, but I’m awaiting clarity that a deal has been done.

  • Alkimama March 3, 2018 (6:22 pm)

    Now that’s the West Seattle I know and love. If you haven’t had the chance to visit C &P, please stop by and enjoy some great coffee and conversation; but be careful, it’s addicting, in a good way. 

  • Jon March 4, 2018 (2:41 pm)

    Hey, congrats on salvaging a historic piece of Seattle from demolition, C&P. It’s always good to see local businesses fighting to preserve what made Seattle the city many of us have chosen to call home. Good luck in your future endeavors.

  • Keri March 4, 2018 (11:15 pm)

    Fairmount Park student who shyly slid a dollar across the bar;”    

  • AmyB March 5, 2018 (6:36 pm)

    Although I have been going to another local coffee shop, I still love C&P and am so happy to hear they succeeded!

  • Bob Mooers March 21, 2018 (12:57 pm)

    Hi to both and add a heap of congrats from the far north in Bellingham. I doubt you can read all these wonderful messages, but mine’s a bit different. my name is

                                                                                                    MOOERS

        And I have genealogical papers which show yours — MOORES — dating to at least 1507 England. 

        If you’re interested, or perhaps somebody else will see this and alert you, I’ll be happy to share.

        fallsguy123@msn.com

                                                                                

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