Brian’s Blog: They Came, They Went, and the City Still Stands
Dreamgirls Espresso on Yakima Avenue is closed. This, too, did pass. Just Like I figured it would.
Yakima's three year flirtation with "bikini baristas" and "sexpresso stands" came to an end recently with the closing of Dreamgirls on Yakima Avenue. While it was open, it attracted plenty of attention, both from customers and critics. It also spawned imitators, most of which are now closed.
Opponent's loud outcries led the Yakima City Council to modify its indecent exposure ordinance a few months after the stand opened. The owner at the time was convicted of violating that ordinance after one of her employees showed a little too much skin.
One of my favorite things that happened was when a local pastor's wife and political candidate marched up to the coffee stand to question the employees about the choices they were making by working there.
As I said on my old radio show at the time, nothing lasts forever. The market would, and did, decide whether these types of places would fly in Yakima or not.
It sure got us worked up while it lasted.
What's next?
UPDATE: After this column was originally posted, we learned that Dreamgirls is going to re-open at 10th Avenue and Nob Hill Boulevard in Yakima.
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