Very sad news this morning from our neighbors to the west, PhinneyWood:

One-hundred Seattle firefighters battled a massive 3-alarm blaze in downtown Greenwood early this morning. The fire began at 208 N. 85 St., at either Pho Tic Tac or the Green Bean Coffeehouse. Both businesses, along with Szechuan Bistro and C.C. Teriyaki, were destroyed.

[PhinneyWood]

Just yesterday, we met with Ben from Aurora|Seattle at The Bean, which is (can’t bear to say was …) an amazing place.  A nonprofit, it was often staffed by volunteers.  A little chalk board implored visitors to “Sit Long.  Talk much.”  Lisa, one of the coffee shop’s founders, is just about the most luminescent person you could ever hope to meet.

From The Green Bean’s webpage:

We here at the Green Bean Coffeehouse like to think of ourselves as a spirited non-profit café . Our hope is that our space can serve as a vehicle for the creation of community here in our sweet little neighborhood of Greenwood. The work that we do is done with the intent of illumination; that we might make brighter and more clear the unique contributions of individuals and other non-profit organizations all over the world.

[Green Bean Coffeehouse]

Our hearts go out to the residents of Greenwood and everyone connected in any way to Pho Tic Tac , the Green Bean Coffeehouse, Szechuan Bistro and C.C. Teriyaki.

photo credit: A Girl And Her Camera