CC Attle’s announced Friday afternoon that the burly gay bar has signed a 5-year lease for a new home on East Olive Way. CHS broke the news that CC’s would be displacing Cafe Metropolitain earlier this week. Manager Chris Daw said in the announcement that the search for a new home came down to the last minute when the owners of the Cafe Met space approached CC’s with an offer to lease the property. Daw also says that there will be work done to the space to meet building and fire codes and that he “will utilize tradesmen from our customer base and Seattle’s gay community first.” Here’s the statement from Daw:
And the winner is….. All of us!
As many of you already know we signed a 5 year lease last Thursday to continue the CC’s legacy. There have been many rumors as to where the new place will be but now you will all know the truth.
Our new address will be 1701 E Olive Way, Seattle WA. 98102.
That is Olive Way @ Boylston and is currently occupied by the Cafe Metropolitan. As many of you know, we spent many months searching for a new home, and quite frankly, came very close to not having one.
There were many reasons for this but fortunately we were approached by the property owners of that space at the last minute and asked if we would be interested in leasing that property as they would not be renewing the lease of the current business. This is bittersweet for us for reasons I won’t go into here but If not us… some other business would have leased that site. Now the hard part, moving an icon that is a significant part of so many peoples lives without destroying what they have come to love about CC’S. A lot of thought, money and a few compromises will be required but more importantly, community and understanding.
CC’s has always been about community. And while it is a business, money has never been our first priority. Our drinks and pricing show that, as well as our policy of never having a cover charge. We believe in giving back to the community whenever possible, while providing a safe welcoming environment without all of the attitude and drama found in so many other places. Our pledge in rebuilding CC’s is that we will utilize tradesmen from our customer base and Seattle’s gay community first, before looking elsewhere for help. We will do as much as possible to maintain the feel of the “Old CC’s” in the overall design and execution of the build-out.
Some things will have to change as building and safety codes have evolved and we have to better meet the needs of our physically challenged customers. But the smiles and welcoming nature of our staff will never change. This is our pledge to you. We hope to complete our construction in time for the Holidays and will do our best to keep you informed as things progress.
Thank you all for your support these past 17 years, I’m looking forward to many more years of fun and friendship in our new home.
Chris
It’s too bad that one gay business has displaced another gay-owned business that has served the community well (many, many benefit events) for a number of years, in what is a surprise and a great sadness to the owners of that business. So much for being “about community”! My understanding is that CC’s had two years to find a space and quite a bit of compensation for their move, and that the current occupants of the new space had no idea that this was about to happen to them or a chance to compete for the space. I strongly suggest you interview the owner(s) of Cafe Met to get their take on what is certainly not a happy event for them.
If you check out our earlier coverage, you’ll see we reached out to Quyen Luu. He said he could only offer a brief statement at the time which we included in the post:
http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2010/10/04/cafe-metropolit
A friend who seems informed, rumors abound, thinks Cafe M. got a buy off to vacate early.
Business is always cash and negotiation.
Hope Cafe M. reopens as an intimate Asian focus show bar.
Best to all.
I don’t know if they did or didn’t get a buy-out to move, but you don’t usually get a buy-out when you’re tens of thou$ands of $$ behind in your rent. I’m just sayin’…
Perhaps a buyout in the form of some debt reduction?
hmmmm
All debt reduction + cash – maybe – CC’s was in a bit of a bind … remember that resolution would be between Cafe M. and old landlord – so they could get new tenant into space faster and seal a new lease … ah, business.
All history now.
The drama now is when will they reopen, and what the hell will they do to the space??? How can we endure …
You’re missing the point. It wasn’t CC’s that was behind in their rent. Cafe Met’s protestations ring a little hollow. Landlords usually like to keep tenants who pay their rent– it sort of makes good business sense. They don’t push out a promptly-paying tenant to make room for someone who is behind thousands of dollars, duh.
Who is missing what point?
I am not involved in the business of either bar, I just drink, eat and hang out at them.
And I don’t care one way or the other.
There is a recession underway, many business have folded or gotten behind in their bills. You think this is unique? Where have you been?
The deal is sealed, now public, Cafe M. vacates, CC’s starts inside work once they have the keys, to reopen. I bet it will take 6 weeks, maybe less, people are out of work, might go faster.
That is all there is – from my perspective – all I care about.
Dah.
Congrats to Chris and all the staff at CC’s! I’m looking forward to opening night!!