Seattle’s Cafe Racer Closes, But Finds New Life As an Online Radio Station | Eater Seattle

"A longtime artsy coffee shop and performance venue in the U District, Cafe Racer closed its location at 5828 Roosevelt Way NE in July and has pivoted to an audio-only model with a free online music station called Cafe Racer Radio; owner Jeff Ramsey says the idea was conceptualized by a customer on the cafe's last night of business. The station currently features only music from Washington—primarily Seattle—has a library of around 10,000 tracks, and includes artists from Pacific Northwest independent labels such as Sub Pop, Barsuk, Youth Riot, and Hush; it mostly runs a shuffle mix now but Ramsey says shows, commentary, interviews, and other content will be added in September. Over its 17 years the cafe was a much-beloved, quirky neighborhood hangout known for excellent espresso, a selection of local beer, and a room called the Official Bad Art Museum of Art (OBAMA) filled with kitsch. The cafe survived a 2012 tragedy in which a gunman shot and killed four people—an event that almost prompted then-owner Kurt Geissel to close but ultimately led to a community rally to keep the spot alive—and in 2017 Ramsey bought the business and steered it toward a more family-friendly vibe with brunch items like omelets, Benedicts, and corned beef hash; the OBAMA room remained, the back area was stocked with books and board games, and the dining room even featured a cafe racer motorcycle kids could sit on. Ramsey says he's in talks with a landlord to reopen somewhere in the same neighborhood once things are back to normal." - Gabe Guarente