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If you’ve lived in Seattle for any length of time (say over two months), you’ve been to or at least heard of the Elliott Bay Book Co. It’s a wonderful rambling book store with wood floors and so many books you just want to sit down and start reading. That’s what many people have done over the years in the Café downstairs. But time and the lack of care have not been kind to the Café. It seemed to grow darker and dingier and offer less appealing food as the years flew by.

Elliott Bay Book Co. owner Peter Aaron always knew having the café was a complimentary business to the book store. Over the past few years, the energy just wasn’t right. He decided to ask around and see if someone in the restaurant business would like to sublease the space and bring it back to life. He asked Tamara Murphy of Brasa if she knew of anyone. She started to look around for him and then thought, "Hey, I’ve always loved the book store. What about me?" They started talking in June 2008. On October 5th, the bathroom demolition was started and by November 24 the Café was open. The entire project was started and completed by Tamara and her friends.

Photo: Coffee and order counter

"The only way to do this was to ask all my friends for help," laughs Tamara. "They rallied and re-did the bathrooms, put in the new lighting from Home Depot, built the banquettes and tables, wrapped the columns and made curtains to create a semi-private space in back. Linda (Tamara’s partner) and I ground the floor down to concrete and painted nine coats on 1500 square feet of space. Linda sanded and painted the stairwell from the book store above. We pulled a lot of all-nighters."

The difference is astounding. Both the ceiling and floor had been dark, now they’re yellow. The new lights brighten every inch of the room. Artwork contributed by Tamara and friend Chris Keff of Flying Fish offer varied perspectives. Chris also took photographs around the neighborhood (all of which include her dog Spike), blew them up and put them on the reading room door panels so you have the feeling of looking outside as you walk past. The brick walls have been cleaned and the bathrooms are no longer something to avoid at all costs.

Photo: Cafe dining room

"It’s a very versatile space," says Tamara. "The back section can be curtained off for business meetings or luncheons for up to 26, the lights all have dimmers, there’s a great sound system and we’ve already had private parties rent the whole space. A friend and I are working on setting up conversation dinners to be held in the writer’s salon next to the Cafe. We’ll have French, Spanish, Portuguese. Food and wine will be from that country, people will speak in that language and we’ll have a language instructor on hand."

Although the set-up is familiar—walk in, check out the specials board, look at the menu, order at the counter—the food is on a whole new level. The Tamara level. "We have lots of sandwiches, Reubens and grilled cheese. But a grilled cheese isn’t just a grilled cheese!" Daily specials might include a chorizo burger, vegetarian sweet potato pâté sandwich or seafood stew. If you’ve been paying attention to Tamara, you know she’s very involved with pigs (see her t-shirt at right). She just brought a whole pig into the Café, so specials will begin to reflect it: Cuban pork sandwiches and chile verde. The regular menu also includes great salads, soups and breakfast items (hand-held egg pies, scrambled eggs, trout and eggs) that are available all day. All pastries except bagels are made on-premises. More items are being added all the time. Espresso, wine, beer and champagne are available. They have pop and Hotlips all-natural soda from the Hotlips Pizza people in Portland.

Tamara has tinkered with the menu since opening to ensure high quality while keeping prices under $10. "What I want to hear from people is ‘good and affordable,’" she says. "It’s a great weekend spot for people and we’ve had good Mariners and Sounders traffic." In case people aren’t familiar with the book store and café, she’s having a drop-down awning made that will wrap around the current flat canopy over the entrance on South Main Street. "I like coming here myself. It’s very community-oriented and there are people here all day. I’m here every day, but if it couldn’t work without me, I wouldn’t have done it. I’m still in the honeymoon phase with this place," she says.

Photo: Cafe employee Adam coming up for air with food

Elliott Bay Café brings a much-needed community space to Pioneer Square. Having been built by a community of friends makes it that much more special.

Connie Adams/May 2009

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