Shakabrah Java Closing Its Doors (12. October 2008, 09:37 by Caitlin) ~ Fix the Economy Now, Please
We heard it through the grape vine early Saturday that Shakabrah Java was closing, but couldn’t quite believe it.
The rumor was confirmed Saturday evening at the Kusikia album release party. The show, free of cover charge, asked for donations to pay for the opening bands’ travel costs and the remainder would go to the venue. Staff was available to serve food and coffee, but they were volunteering their time and would only be taking home tips.
When asked if the reason for closing was higher rent, a staff member answered that rent, cost of supplies – everything – was rising, and it was just too expensive to keep up.
The current owner of Shakabrah has run the restaurant for eleven years. A great breakfast spot and hangout at 6th Ave, Shakabrah Java will be missed. The doors close November 2nd. Get your huge plate of blueberry pancakes and bottomless brewed coffee while it lasts.
Update on 10/14
There’s a little bit more info from WesS in the forum.
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this is just sad and oh so wrong :(
a business is the heart and soul of a neighborhood in hard times, and then when said neighborhood “makes it” they are priced out.
[sad]
1 | Posted by Lisa aka WildCelticRose | Oct 12, 11:39 AM
Damn, that sucks. Shakabrah’s been a great service to the neighborhood…regularly hosting meetings, etc. (Though it was too bad when they stopped being open in the evenings a couple of years ago…)
4 | Posted by jamie from thriceallamerican | Oct 12, 04:09 PM
That’s lame. My High school jazz band used to play our end of the year gig there every year. good times. I’m gonna miss it.
5 | Posted by Michael | Oct 12, 07:56 PM
Sad news, because its food, service to the community, and support of local music was such an asset. Those were rare qualities when they hit the scene over a decade ago, and it is still fairly rare today.
6 | Posted by onbroadway | Oct 12, 08:12 PM
It is the inspiration of the Coffee Shop “Java Man“ featured in a key scene in my epic novel-in-the-making.
Gotta go by this week and soak it in a little more.
Maybe draft 2 will be a little more true to the real place, for nostalgia (if anything else)
7 | Posted by Thorax O'Tool | Oct 12, 10:04 PM
Though it was too bad when they stopped being open in the evenings a couple of years ago
Its hard to figure out what happened with Shakabrah Java. They were THE coffee hang out place years ago. But the bar got raised for coffee in Tacoma several notches since then and their business seemed to be dropping off.
With 6th Avenue jammed with people, its hard to believe they couldn’t attract enough pedestrians to keep the place open at night.
Damn.
Shakabrah is one of my favorite places in all of Tacoma. I can still remember when it opened—a coffee shop with books and chessboards! In Tacoma!
I’ve had countless breakfasts there (#3, eggs over medium, wheat toast and a for-here coffee). It’s jammed to the gills after church on Sunday. Where else will we get magic potatoes and anti-Bush editorial cartoons?
O the humanity!
Tom Llewellyn
10 | Posted by Tom Llewellyn | Oct 13, 07:24 AM
…wonder why they aren’t trying to sell the business…hope they aren’t in major debt.
11 | Posted by jamie from thriceallamerican | Oct 13, 07:28 AM
Shakabrah has helped me with many Sunday morning hangovers… It will be missed :(
I hope there is a suitable replacement. We need to keep Tacoma local.
12 | Posted by Heller | Oct 13, 11:09 AM
OK, I have to agree with fanny whyte that the place was a little grimy, but come on…it must have been OK if the health dept. didn’t shut them down, right? I’m gonna miss those Magic Potatoes. :(
13 | Posted by UrbanDK | Oct 13, 11:17 AM
In all honesty, the food was OK, but what was really important to me was the fact that it was a forum for all of the most radical leftist activist activity in Tacoma. I remember the first time I went there, there was a flyer on the door opposing military recruitment in schools. In such a militarily-influenced town, that counterpoint is important!
14 | Posted by Amanda | Oct 13, 11:29 AM
Rats, this ruins my day. We lost the Sunriser, now Shakabrah. That leaves just Old Milwaukee for breakfast on the Ave, and now the lines out the door are going to be even longer at mid-morning Saturdays and Sundays.
This is too much to lay on Pat and Chad Kerwin. Let’s make sure Old Milwauke lives long and prospers.
Damn.
Say, is Herban Cafe open for breakfast on the weekends? Any word of mouth on breakfasts at the Hub?
But neither have the atmosphere that Shakabrah provided. What a loss….
15 | Posted by dave seago | Oct 13, 07:49 PM
this is so incredibly sad to me. i’ve had some incredibly memorable times in there, almost always over coffee, skillets, and pancakes. so many good conversations. i thought they’d be around forever…
16 | Posted by Linden | Oct 14, 12:29 AM
Remember also that the Shakabrah culture welcomed Republicans (thick-skinned, good-humored ones, anyway). What’s going to happen to the 1959 and 1964 bound volumes of London Times Literary Review? If they’re headed to the dump I’d like to intercept. Can you imagine Starbucks leaving nonrevenue stuff like that around for people to read?
17 | Posted by Bill | Oct 14, 07:04 AM
The Herban Cafe will be opening for breakfast very soon, we hope to fill the void left by the closing of shakabrah. Look for the lights to be back on.
18 | Posted by gretchen | Oct 14, 07:33 AM
It’s so depressing to hear stuff like this. Shakabrah, Abolins, what’s next?
I’m gonna miss that place.
19 | Posted by Lauren | Oct 14, 07:55 PM
@dave seago: you can also get a very righteous breakfast on the weekends at Babblin Babs Bistro on Proctor. The drawback is that the serve only espresso wand steamed eggs (I know, I know, but they are better than you think), but it is overall arguably the best breakfast in town.
21 | Posted by Squid | Oct 15, 09:19 AM
I’m not going to miss that ONE booth that is totally caving in… I hurt myself every stinkin’ time.
BUT… I don’t think this is the last you’ll see of shakabrah. I’ve heard some things while parked on many a bar stool this week…
22 | Posted by Anon | Oct 18, 03:20 PM
I’ll never forget when I first got mugged in next to Shakabrah. Oh the days…
how can Shakabrah go?
23 | Posted by steve | Oct 19, 06:46 PM
FLASH!!! The Shakabrah is now open and is not going to be closing. Life is sweet on 6th Ave. again! Help spread the word that Shakabrah is open and serving the best breakfasts in town again! I was there this morning and it was jumpin’ like old times. Awesome!
25 | Posted by Caesar | Oct 25, 04:10 PM
they’re not closing, now! it seemed really busy this morning, and the food was as good as it has always been. huzzah for new owners not letting the place die!
26 | Posted by cab | Oct 25, 05:44 PM
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