Monorail Espresso facts for kids
Monorail Espresso is a famous coffeehouse in Seattle. It's special because it started as the very first espresso cart in the world! An espresso cart is like a small food stand where a barista (someone who makes coffee) can prepare delicious espresso drinks. Today, Monorail Espresso operates as a walk-up window with several locations around Seattle.
How It All Began
On December 1, 1980, a man named Chuck Beek from Seattle had a cool idea. He set up an espresso cart at Westlake Mall, right under the Seattle Center Monorail. He wanted to see if people would buy espresso on the street instead of only in coffee shops. The permit to set up his cart back then cost only $10!
His coffee cart quickly became popular. People loved getting "Ristretto" style coffee, which is a strong, short espresso. In the early 1990s, a very popular order was "skinny lattes." These were made with two shots of espresso and non-fat milk.
The cart was located close to big stores like Nordstrom, which made it a perfect spot for busy workers to grab a quick coffee break. The tasty espresso and convenient location helped the cart become a big hit!
Moving On
Eventually, Monorail Espresso had to leave its first spot at Westlake. Downtown Seattle was growing, and construction was happening everywhere. Also, the cost for permits kept going up. Because of this, Chuck Beek had to move his cart several times.
As more and more espresso carts started appearing in the area, it became harder for Monorail Espresso to find a great spot. Even though the idea of an espresso cart was very successful, the business decided to change. In 1997, it became a walk-up window instead of a cart.
Monorail Espresso Today
Today, the main Monorail Espresso is located at 510 Pike Street in Seattle. It is now owned and run by Aimee Peck. Aimee first started working as a barista for Monorail Espresso in 2008. In 2012, when she was a manager, Aimee bought the business from Chuck Beek.
Monorail Espresso has grown a lot!
- In 2015, a second location opened in the lobby of the Columbia Center building at 701 Fifth Avenue. This is the only business in that part of the building.
- In 2018, a third location opened on Westlake Avenue.
- In 2022, a fourth location opened on Fourth Avenue.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Monorail Espresso was doing really well. But because the business relies on people walking by, the pandemic caused their sales to drop a lot. Luckily, since it's a well-known business in downtown Seattle for over 40 years, they received help. They got a grant from Amazon to support small businesses. They also got help from the Paycheck Protection Program in 2020.
Monorail Espresso also teamed up with a local hotel, Motif, through a program called "Hyatt Loves Local." This program, created by Hyatt Hotels, helps small businesses facing problems from the pandemic. Monorail Espresso set up a temporary shop in the hotel lobby. There, they sold their merchandise, like coffee growlers, shirts, and other coffee accessories.
The business is still running strong today with 16 staff members and the help of owner Aimee Peck. They continue to serve their popular double-shot espresso drinks and their famous chubby cookies!
