Volunteer Park Cafe & Pantry

Volunteer Park Cafe Officially Sold; Will Soon Become Restaurant, Market, and Bottle Shop | Eater Seattle

"Opened in January 2007 at 17th Avenue and Galer Street in a building that dates to the early 20th century, the cafe built a loyal neighborhood following for wonderful breakfast dishes and baked goods and lived up to its motto — “always fresh goodness.” After pastry chef Heather Earnhardt left to open the Wandering Goose, owner Ericka Burke purchased her stake and later opened other ventures, but the emotional and financial impacts from those closures led her to sell the business. She ran the cafe with a staff she calls “shining stars,” and the spot became, in her words, the “Cheers of Northern Capitol Hill,” a welcoming meeting place where customers felt they belonged. The business has now been sold to Seattle architect James DeSarno (co-owner of Yakima Valley’s Freehand Cellars); after closing in early November it is expected to reopen soon as a hybrid restaurant, market, and bottle shop that stays not-too-far afield from its current iteration while putting a renewed emphasis on wine, retaining some bakery favorites, developing the retail side, and receiving some cosmetic upgrades." - Gabe Guarente