(File photo)
Two weeks ago, we reported on the electrical meter/wiring theft that left West Bay Coffee and Smoothies (2255 Harbor Avenue SW) literally powerless. It’s been an arduous two weeks for proprietor Jennifer to get reconnected so she can reopen her small business, but they’re finally on track to reopen Friday morning (November 18). “We’ve overcome a lot of adversity these past few years, but this time there were quite a few steps to have us operational again,” she explained. Not just dealing with electricians, insurance adjusters, and City Light, but also the direct effect of the temporary shutdown:
With 2 weeks of lost revenue due to this petty theft that impacted myself, 5 employees and their families, this time it really hit us hard. I seriously contemplated to (not) even reopen due to the unwavering fact that this can happen again and nobody is held accountable. We’ve always had systems in place like surveillance cameras, a security alarm, there’s never any cash left at night, and we’ve always closed at 5 pm to avoid late-night safety concerns. We now have 2 people on morning shifts just to have support with all the morning RV activities happening at 5:30 am. These people are busy in the mornings. Usually outside cutting metal, shuffling stuff to and from, fights, and blasting the music, to name a few observations.
With all the crime and break-ins we’ve had to overcome these past few years, there’s no budget for that with a small business, it’s directly from my profit which is how I support my family. There’s small business grants on rebuilding business storefronts, which I haven’t been successful at receiving. (Any tips on that, I’d gladly appreciate it)
Overall we are the only drive-thru on Harbor Ave/Alki, which serves much of the high school population, walkers on the trail and morning commuters. It’s really put a wrench in people’s schedules and routines. I would like to thank my amazing team, and the extended support from our dedicated West Bay coffee community. Without all of you, we wouldn’t be here, so thank you for your continued love and support. We hope to see you this weekend!
Or tomorrow, starting at 6 am.
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