Café Allegro facts for kids
Café Allegro is a famous coffee shop located in the University District of Seattle, Washington, USA. It's special because it was one of the very first places in Seattle to serve espresso coffee. It also played a big part in the early history of Starbucks. Dave Olsen, who started Café Allegro, helped create the coffee recipes for Starbucks right here. The cafe is tucked away in an alley and has several entrances and rooms.
History of Café Allegro
The building where Café Allegro is located was built a long time ago, in 1909. Before it became a coffee shop, it was used for different things. It was a store, a bank, and even a funeral home.
In 1975, the building became Café Allegro. It was the first place in Seattle to have an espresso bar. Dave Olsen, the founder, picked this spot because it was in an alley. It was also right across from a busy entrance to the University of Washington campus. Café Allegro is also known as the oldest coffeehouse in Seattle.
Howard Schultz, who became the head of Starbucks later on, said something interesting. He mentioned that Café Allegro was like an early idea for what Starbucks would become. But he noted that Allegro had a more relaxed, artistic style. It didn't sell coffee beans or other items like Starbucks does today.
In 1990, Dave Olsen sold Café Allegro. Nathaniel Jackson and Chris Peterson bought it. Nathaniel had worked there since 1975, and Chris started working there as a student in 1985.
In 2014, the cafe made a big change. They turned the second floor of their building into a place to roast coffee beans.
Dave Olsen and Starbucks
Dave Olsen is a very important person in the story of Starbucks. Howard Schultz, the Starbucks CEO, called him "a rock" and "part of the foundation" of the company. This is because Dave Olsen made sure the coffee quality was always excellent.
Dave Olsen started and owned Café Allegro for eleven years. It was his only coffee shop. He bought coffee beans from Starbucks. Together, they created a special espresso roast. This roast was darker than most others but not the darkest. This exact espresso roast is still the standard one used by Starbucks today.
In the mid-1980s, Starbucks changed its ownership. Dave Olsen became more involved with their business. In August 1987, he became the main person in charge of buying and roasting coffee for Starbucks.
