Everett
Coffee shop gives Everett Public Library a jolt

By Rachel Tuinstra
Times Snohomish County bureau

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EVERETT — It's become a regular habit for David Kelley and other frequenters of the Everett Public Library: Check out some books and get a cup of coffee.

"I think this is a great idea," said Kelley, as he stood with a stack of library videos under his arm waiting for a chai-tea latte. "This used to be dead space. A museum piece that wasn't that interesting."

Kelly isn't the only one taking advantage of Espresso Americano, which began offering lattes, desserts and light lunch foods in the Everett Public Library's lobby Jan. 26. Since the shop opened, library employees have noticed a swell of visitors and an increase in books being checked out.

The library will have a clearer idea of how much business has increased at the end of the month, when it plans to tally the items checked out in February to compare with the same time last year, said Mark Nesse, library director.

The coffee shop was constructed in the library's lobby with a $175,000 anonymous donation. The coffee shop was built in an area formerly used to exhibit Sen. Henry "Scoop" Jackson's Washington, D.C., office furniture.

"People say the coffee shop looks like it has always been here," Nesse said.

Espresso Americano The Everett Public Library coffee shop is at 2702 Hoyt Ave. Hours: 7 a.m to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

The library receives $800 a month in rent from Espresso Americano and 9 percent of the coffee shop's total sales. The money will be put toward an endowment to purchase books.

The Everett Library is Espresso Americano's first coffee shop in the United States. It has 78 shops in Japan and South America, and it hopes to open a handful more in the Puget Sound area in the next few years, said Ron DeMiglio, the company's president.

The shop displays work from local artists and features live music Friday and Saturday nights, DeMiglio said.

"We've been surprised at how well the community has embraced us," he said. "I was born and raised in Everett, and I just like the idea of having a local area for art, culture and music — a place for the community to gather."

Rachel Tuinstra: 425-783-0674 or rtuinstra@seattletimes.com

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