Halo 3 Battle for a Cause

Hollywood Video in Renton and Tuscany Coffee has paired up today to put your Xbox 360 skills to the test and help a good cause. Halo 3, the third in the Halo trilogy of games, is the basis for this battle of 2 x 2. Entry is $5 and it all goes to the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation. a 50 inch plasma screen TV has been rented from Rent A Center and it is an open house, with snacks and fun - everyone is invited. You can start wandering in at about 3:30, and the battle begins at 5pm. There is probably still plenty of room to sign up, Kim Soy, owner of Tuscany Coffee told me the other day that they weren't full up.

While there, you can always indulge in a little coffee and adult treats as well. Pictured above, Soy Kim with her trademark cup of coffee made with Tully's beans.

Tuscany Coffee
64 Rainier Ave South
M- Fr 5am - 5 pm, Sat 7am - 4pm, Sun 8am - 3pm

New business Day at The Picaroon - Tuscany Coffee

For two days, this beloved neighborhood coffee stop was a mystery to most. One day a Tully's, the next day closed. But the entire time it was actually in the competent hands of the Kim family, who have been in the market for just such a shop for the last year. That is how Tuscany Coffee, a family run and independent coffee spot was born.

Duk Kim, the owner and his daughter, Soy, are the muscle behind this friendly place that offers a full compliment of pastries and breakfast sandwiches, and features fresh daily donuts that Mr. Kim picks up himself from a baker friend prior to opening at 5 am each day. Another member of the team, a Brooklynite with Starbucks background named Eve, will be joining shortly to help Soy manage things. Until then, the whole family is working a full compliment of hours and have hired barristas, all who have been trained at Tully's, to serve the coffee that has always been available at this spot.


Soy explained that unlike a big corporation, their profit margin needs are quite different than Tully's, so they have no problem envisioning this business working out for them.Tully's simply did not want to renew their lease and the Kim's were ready to take it up in their place. The hardest part so far was trying to explain to the old customers that they still had good Tully's coffee to serve to them and that the prior staff were Tully's staff and that was why they choose not to stay.

For the Kims, this is their first coffee concern, but the family had many years experience running a sub shop that featured a small complement of espresso drinks before the parents decided to retire 6 years ago. The shop was initially intended for their son, but plans changed and soon Duk Kim was fully out of retirement once again. Hopes are to get him working fewer hours soon. Thank goodness he does well with the early shift (5am? ugh)

A flyer with some coupons will be coming out today or the next, so look forward to sampling the Tuscany Coffee wares with a free extra coffee or pastry. Soy welcomes groups to drop by and use the very comfortable space they have and try their wonderful Summer Special - a soft vanilla/chocolate swirl nonfat soft yogurt cone for A DOLLAR. I love Summer.

Tuscany Coffee
64 Rainier Ave South
M- Fr 5am - 5 pm, Sat 7am - 4pm, Sun 8am - 3pm

Tully's on Rainer - Gone!

This past weekend, quietly and without much fanfare, the Tullys Coffee on Rainier closed. I was informed by my favorite mail carrier, Barbara (you all know her - and if not - here is my blog about her), that her favorite place to go and get her daily cup of joe was closing and they only informed their customers on the last day of business it seems.

I made it there on Sunday, to find, indeed, the shop completely closed with a sign instructing clients to head over to the Rainier Beach store to get their morning fix. Yeah, like that's gonna happen. I did witness two cars slowly go by as I snapped my photos, mystified by the papered over windows of what used to be their coffee hook-up.

However, the good news is that an independent coffee shop will be acquiring the space and moving in soon. The new name is Tuscany Coffee Co., and there seems to be a drive-through branch of this shop in existence already in Lakewood. Yeah! for another small, family-owned business.

In the meantime, outside of Liberty Cafe, which always has my utmost love, please try the lovely Caffe Umbria coffee that is being served so well at the Yoggi Yogurt store on S. Third Street. Soon, this coffee operation will move around the corner to the Deli that the same owners are hard at work to open in the coming month. Until then, you can have a lovely cup and indulge in the very good frozen yogurt as well.

Yoggi Frozen Yogurt 801 S. Third Street (425) 204-9991 Don't forget to get your yogurt punch card started right away!