Best Friend in the News Again
Posted by the Kenmore Crow | Filed under Business | 4 Comments
Gotta say, I’m surprised neither of the competing Kenmore blogs have jumped on this story…
From Tuesday’s Kenmore Reporter: Customer orders a hot chocolate, allegedly gets a bit more at Kenmore stand
King County Sheriff’s detectives are investigating an incident in which a female barista at the Best Friend coffee stand in Kenmore allegedly exposed herself to a male customer buying a hot chocolate.
…
The reporting party told police he visited Best Friend after retrieving his car from the nearby Kenmore Park and Ride Lot. He stated he had no idea the coffee shop employed bikini-clad baristas. After he ordered his drink, the female barista allegedly asked him if he wanted a show. The man said he nervously responded positively, not really knowing what to expect.According to the police report, the man states the barista allegedly exposed herself from the waist up and from the waist down, reportedly fondling herself briefly. Asked by the barista if he had enjoyed himself, the man reportedly said, “No,” and drove off with his drink but no change from a 20-dollar bill.
Follow-up on KIRO 7 yesterday: Why Prosecutors Can’t Charge Baristas Who Bare It All (video)
KIRO 7 Eyewitness News morning anchor Chris Egert found that King County sheriff’s deputies have pages and pages of reports documenting questionable activities at a Kenmore espresso stand, yet so far, not a single case has made it to court.
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It is stuff too raunchy to put in this report. It is beyond the level of bikinis: private body parts put on display, all body parts, exposed to undercover deputies.“At the face of this you’d say, ‘Well, my gosh. There’s indecent exposure, or perhaps even prostitution involved here.’ But as we read the statute, and more importantly as the prosecutors read the statutes and the city ordinance in Kenmore, it does not appear that there has been any crime committed,” said Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Office.
Even though investigators saw women take off their clothes, expose their breasts, backsides and vaginas, it is not a violation of the law.
City of Kenmore prosecutors told deputies that what happened doesn’t meet filing standards for indecent exposure or prostitution.
The King County Prosecutor’s Office could, in theory, attempt to move forward with charges, but said that even if it wanted to, it doesn’t have the resources to proceed.
What would it take to have charges filed? A victim—someone who isn’t a cop—and who didn’t want the show undercover investigators said was being offered at Best Friend Espresso.
Of course, none of the victims are willing to do that, so it would seem that for now, the show must go on.
I’m not going to sit here and defend the caffeinated peep show, but I have to wonder… why are King County sheriff’s deputies spending their time making multiple “undercover” stops to Best Friend, if nothing that’s happening there is illegal enough for them to pursue criminal charges?
I’ve got one theory…
Just sayin’.
Tags: Best-Friends, bikini, Business, photo
Kenmore Village Getting Some New Businesses: Coffee & Kids
Posted by the Kenmore Crow | Filed under Business | 1 Comment
In a surprise reversal from the slow and steady near-complete exodus of local businesses from the Kenmore Village location, it would appear that someone is gearing up to open a new coffee shop at 6734 NE 181st St — the building that used to hold a Tacos Guaymas.
In addition to the exterior of the building sporting a fresh new coat of paint, whoever is moving in has also been doing some landscaping, as well as some work to spruce up the inside.
According to a pdf flyer I located on the leasing company’s website, the new business is “The Coffee Roaster.” Just what Kenmore needs, another coffee shop! Especially one that’s literally less than 500 feet from Tully’s…
Also of note, the flyer says that a new kid’s gym called “Great Play” will be opening sometime soon in the location formerly occupied by The Little Gym.
The other thing I found interesting in the leasing company’s ad for the Kenmore Village spaces is that potential tenants are being offered leases of “4 years or less.” If they’re handing out 4-year leases, that would seem to imply that development on Kenmore Village is stalled until at least 2015, despite the perennial claims that they’re just pushing things off “one more year.” Hmm…
Tags: central-kenmore, downtown, Kenmore Village
Beer Beer Beer
Posted by the Kenmore Crow | Filed under Business | 5 Comments
The juxtaposition of these two articles amused me.
McMenamins coming to Bothell? City Council discussing it today
Not too long ago, McMenamins was interested in developing a hotel, pub and entertainment facility at the old seminary building at St. Edward State Park in Kenmore. The neighborhood freaked out. Opponents feared that the renovated seminary would promote underage drinking and fill the streets with inebriated motorists. Hurray for the neighborhood, they successfully chased McMenamins away.
Meanwhile, this weekend… Washington Brewers Festival is 3 days of suds in Kenmore
Get a peek at the new local beers rolling out this summer at the three-day Washington Brewers Festival in Kenmore, starting Friday.
Live music, contests and games and a children’s play area that includes a root-beer tent will be set up.
And where will this festival be taking place? St. Edward State Park, of course.
Mr. Lupori discusses Kenmore’s rejection of McMenamins in a pair of posts here:
- McMenamins Announcement Raises the Question: Why Bothell Grows and Kenmore Stagnates
- Will Kenmore EVER "Get It?" Bothell’s getting a Hotel, Pub and Theater!
Tags: beer, Bothell, Business, south-kenmore, St. Edward Park
Do they sell liquor to people that are already super wasted?
Posted by the Kenmore Crow | Filed under Business, Photo/Video | No Comments Yet!
Good thing they put up those handwritten signs. Otherwise how would their potential patrons ever have figured out that this location has been closed?
Tags: Business, Kenmore Village, Liquor, photo
Best Friend Blinds Banish Free Peeks for Bothell Way Drivers
Posted by the Kenmore Crow | Filed under Business | 5 Comments
A couple weeks ago, the Bothell/Kenmore Reporter ran a story that briefly mentioned the coffee stand at 73rd & Bothell Way here in Kenmore…
In Kenmore, Mayor David Baker said City Hall staffers routinely receive complaints regarding Best Friends, many coming from parents who say young children easily can see into the roadside stand. Baker said officials have discussed the issue, but declined to go into details.
“We are aware of it, we do know of it,” he said.
To me that almost sounds like some sort of veiled threat from the Mayor there. Interestingly, as I drive by Best Friend, I have noticed a slight change in the weeks since that story ran.
Pretty much since the story ran, the blinds in the windows facing Bothell Way, which used to stay open, have been closed. Coincidence? Probably not.
Looks to me like Best Friend owner Wayne Hembree caught the hidden message in Mayor Baker’s remarks to the Reporter and decided to preemptively avoid a confrontation with City Hall. Probably a good move.
Tags: Best-Friends, bikini, Business, photo
