(Reader photo)

By Hayden Yu Andersen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

The cafe formerly known as Till Dawn has rebranded itself as The Void. After several reader inquiries about the change, we talked with one of the new owners who took over at 5048 California SW a little more than half a year ago.

The rebrand follows other changes in the seven months since the ownership change. Previously a video game-themed bar and cafe, opened in 2022 in the former West Seattle Licensing space, it’s retained some of its original identity, albeit with a heavy metal twist.

(WSB photos from here down)

“We loved everything about it, but wanted to do something different. If you want white walls and wood-edged countertops, more power to you, but now we’re a place I’d like to hang out,” said Shadoe Leibelt, who co-owns The Void with his wife. The name is derived from their location, between the Alaska Junction and Morgan Junction. “We’re between two junctions, in an empty void of an area. Any other name just didn’t work,” Leibelt said.

Moving from St. Petersburg, Florida, roughly two years ago, Leibelt brings 13 years of bartending experience, as well as a background in horror filmmaking and cinematography to The Void. The grungy, punk aesthetic has molded his life, Leibelt says, and he’s taken that inspiration to heart with the new decorations.

With the aesthetic changes come schedule and service changes as well. The Void will continue to lean further into its identity as a dive bar. It will still serve as a place to get coffee and play games, including serving the old regulars, but they want to expand their offerings to cater to a wider audience.

The Void will also continue to run its bi-weekly movie nights, and while they’re taking it slow, Leibelt says one of their long-term goals is to push their hours later. “I plan to keep expanding hours until we can be open late every single night of the week,” said Leibelt.

“I couldn’t be happier with what I’ve seen the place grow into in the last six months,” he said, reflecting on how much The Void has changed since he started rebranding it. “This place isn’t for everyone, and that’s completely fine, but I want this to be a staple. I want it to be a standout spot for the neighborhood, to show that West Seattle doesn’t just stop at the end of The Junction.”

Current hours for The Void are 9 am-6 pm Mondays-Tuesdays, 9 am-10 pm Wednesdays-Thursdays, 9 am-11 pm Fridays-Saturdays, and 9 am-5 pm Sundays; check for updates here.