Its grand re-opening has been pushed back several times, but the Green Bean Coffeehouse promises that they will definitely open at 7 a.m. Friday in their new location at 8533 Greenwood Ave. N.

In November, when the Green Bean opened its temporary location inside the Sip & Ship, they hosted a HUGELY successful ‘Green Bean Mugging’ where customers were invited to donate a mug to help rebuild their collection of quirky, mismatched mugs. The community response was unbelievable, with nearly 800 mugs donated. This time, the Green Bean will host a ‘Green Bean Canning’ in support of the Greenwood Food Bank. Donations of canned goods will help stock the shelves of the food bank’s new larger location at 9041 Greenwood Ave. North.

The Green Bean Coffeehouse, known not only as a great coffeehouse but also as a community center in the neighborhood, will have significantly more space in the new location including a separate meeting room available for private gatherings, community meetings, and classes. They plan to continue kids’ story time, open mic, live music, and anticipate a wide variety of volunteer-run classes and activities to take place in the new, expanded location. A schedule of events can be found at www.greenbeancoffee.org.

The Green Bean was one of four businesses destroyed in the Oct. 23, 2009, arson. They set up shop temporarily inside the Greenwood Sip & Ship, then signed a long-term lease for the old McDonald’s building. Delays in permitting and construction delayed their re-opening several times.

The Green Bean will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The Green Bean will have a grand re-opening celebration on Friday, Aug. 13, in conjunction with the monthly Artwalk.

Today’s Seattle Times has an in-depth article on the preparations to reopen the Green Bean Coffeehouse. The Green Bean was one of four businesses destroyed in the Oct. 23 arson. Shortly after that, the Green Bean temporarily took over coffee operations at the Greenwood Sip & Ship. Green Bean is now renovating the former McDonald’s building at 8533 Greenwood Ave. N.

The opening has been pushed back because of construction permitting delays. When I stopped in to check on construction last week, Green Bean staff said they were now aiming for a July 10 opening.

The Green Bean Coffee House had hoped to reopen inside the old McDonald’s building at 8533 Greenwood Ave. N. on Saturday, to coincide with the Greenwood Car Show. But Green Bean staff told me this morning that permitting delays mean they now plan to have their grand opening on July 10.

The building was painted green outside.

In the meantime, on Saturday the Green Bean will set up tables and chairs in the little plaza area next to what used to be the drive-thru. They’ll serve coffee and pastries to car show visitors, and a face painter will be there.

The inside of the building is still under construction, with new turquoise paint on the side wall.

The new wooden front counter is designed to look like the counter in the original location.

Local artist Nicole Stremlow-Monahan, who owns the newly opened Art on the Ridge at 8005 Greenwood Ave. N., will be painting a mural outside.

After having its original location destroyed by an arsonist last October, the Green Bean set up temporary shop inside the Greenwood Sip & Ship. Two weeks ago, they were dealt another blow when their contractor had his truck and all his tools stolen while he was working inside the coffee shop.

Then this morning, another theft. They had placed their huge three-compartment metal sink just outside the back door for cleaning. Moments later, it was gone. They put the word out to neighboring businesses, and someone soon found it behind the Baranof Restaurant, just a few doors down.

They don’t know who stole it, but Green Bean Operations Manager Emily Davis said it took four people to lift the sink to bring it back.

Stop by any participating Starbucks in Seattle every Friday from May 21 to June 18 after 2 p.m. and get free tickets to special events, while supplies last. The Phinney Ridge Starbucks at 316 N. 67th St. is participating, and there’s no purchase necessary. Starbucks says each store will have about 100 vouchers for each promotion.

This Friday, you’ll get a voucher for a free ticket to a Mariners game (valued at $20). It’s good for the following games: June 1 (vs Minnesota), July 6 (vs Kansas City), July 20 (vs Chicago), August 5 (vs Texas), August 10 (vs Oakland) or August 31 (vs LA).

On May 28, you’ll get a voucher to see one film at the Seattle International Film Festival (must be used by June 13).

On June 4, you’ll get a voucher for a free weekday admission at the Seattle Art Museum.

On June 11, you’ll get free weekday admission for one child to the Seattle Aquarium.

And on June 18, you’ll get free admission to selects shows of the new Broadway production of “Burn the Floor” at The Paramount.

The Green Bean Coffeehouse folks, who are renovating the old McDonald’s building at 8553 Greenwood Ave. N, now say they’re hoping to open June 26.

They were originally aiming for Memorial Day weekend, but had to back off on that date due to delays in getting permits and some planned vacations, according to their blog.

The coffeehouse and three other businesses were destroyed by an arsonist last fall. Green Bean has been sharing space at the Greenwood Sip & Ship, which sits across the street from the former McDonald’s.

Here’s what it looks like inside. The outline of the order counter can be seen on the floor.

Visit their site if you’re interested in volunteering or contributing items that will help them open in the new space.

The Green Bean Coffeehouse, which was destroyed in the Oct. 23 arson, will start construction on Monday at their new space at the old McDonald’s building on Greenwood Avenue. That’s across the street from the Greenwood Sip & Ship, where the Green Bean temporarily set up shop a few months ago.

Summer Mohrlang, manager of the Green Bean, tells us the new Green Bean should be up and running around the first part of summer.

We’ll be using an all volunteer workforce so anyone interested in helping out will be welcomed. Our foreman, John Eidson will be overseeing the efforts. He loves working with volunteers and will assign tasks based on each person’s ability level. So whether folks have years of construction experience or just want to lend a hand sweeping up debris we can use them! We really hope that this can be a community effort to transform a vacant space into a warm and cozy center of community. Anyone interested in volunteering can sign themselves up by clicking here.

And…we are in need of a licensed plumber willing to donate a little bit of time to this job. If any are out there I’d love to hear from them (manager@greenbeancoffee.org).

The Green Bean Coffeehouse, which has been sharing space with Greenwood Sip & Ship for the last few months since its former building was burned down by an arsonist, will soon move into the old McDonald’s building.

The building, on Greenwood Avenue and about North 86th Street, has been empty for several years and many people have complained about it being an eyesore, with frequent graffiti markings. The lot will someday be developed by Greenwood Shopping Center Inc., the same folks who built the new Piper Village mixed-use development and who own the land under Fred Meyer. In the meantime, the property developers had hoped someone would lease the building for a few years.

You can read all about it in Sanctuary Church’s newsletter. The church owns the Green Bean.

Local henna artist Antoinette is hosting a “Henna for Haiti” event at Makeda Coffee, 153 N. 78th St., from 6-9 p.m. Saturday.

25% of all transactions will be donated to Partners in Health and makeda coffee will be matching that 25%

You’ve no doubt seen all the work happening at 6510 Phinney Ave. N. That space is turning into In the Red Wine Bar & Cafe, owned by Chad W. Campbell and Brian Folino. They hope to open sometime in March.

(Photo by artman1951.)

Campbell was laid off from a telecommunications industry job last summer and took that as a sign to switch careers. Even though his family lived in Queen Anne, they spent quite a bit of time in Phinney, particularly at El Chupacabra. He looked around at various potential sites in the neighborhood before settling on the building that also houses Davern Safe & Lock.

But Campbell and Folino didn’t want an upscale, slick wine bar. They wanted something that was reasonably priced, around $5 a glass, and, since Campbell has an almost 3-year-old, it needed to be family-friendly.

“We wanted something that was more affordable,” Campbell explained. “We didn’t want people to break the bank with double-digit glasses of wine.”

And they wanted them to have yummy, but not overproduced, food to go along with it.

“The food will be kind of simple,” he said. “We won’t have a hood so we can’t do open flame or deep frying. We’ll do some soups and bruschetta and small plate salads. Little bites if you will. And we’ll probably have a few vegan things on the menu as well.”

In the Red will also serve coffee in the mornings (Folino trained at Capitol Hill’s famed Espresso Vivace). Campbell said they’ll probably open at 6 or 6:30 a.m. Coffee and pastries will be available for sit down or take-out. Eventually they may serve simple breakfasts as well, and they’ll have free WiFi.

Furniture and dishes will be mismatched eclectic, with comfy couches and chairs, and hopefully a little fireplace. “We don’t want to come across as being too slick,” Campbell said.

They’re still working out the hours, but they will probably close at 11 p.m. weeknights and midnight on Friday and Saturday.

“Phinney is a fantastic neighborhood, plus there isn’t a wine bar per se in the neighborhood. We feel like it’s a good little neighborhood and a good little corner,” Campbell said. “I think that we’ve got a lot of factors that will make us successful. The neighborhood in itself is supportive of these kinds of places.”

The new Couth Buzzzard Books Espresso Buono Cafe at 8310 Greenwood Ave. N. is starting Open Mic Nights at 7 p.m. every every Wednesday. The evening is hosted by musician/philosopher Katie Weller. Sign-up starts at 6:30 p.m.

Come and share your music, poetry, stories, whatever. Drinks and food available. You can learn more at our Facebook page: Couth Buzzard Espress Buono or website: www.buonobuzzard.com. And don’t forget our Family Game night every Thursday at 6, and the Writer’s Group on Mondays at 7 p.m.

Who else in the neighborhood sponsors open mic nights? Let us know in comments.

The new Couth Buzzard Books Espresso Buono Cafe at 8310 Greenwood Ave. N. is adding meetings and entertainment in its new space.

Starting Monday, Feb. 1, they’ll be hosting a new writing group at 6 p.m.

Leader, Marilyn Stauter calls her approach “Guided Spontaneity.” For more information contact Marilyn Stauter at stauter5687@msn.com, or 206-633-5687.

And every Thursday from 6-9 p.m. is now Family Game Evening, with cards and board games.

Chess, Go, Bridge, Scrabble, Dominos and more. The Cafe will also be open for drinks and food. 206-436-2960.

The new Couth Buzzard Books Espresso Buono Cafe at 8310 Greenwood Ave. N. celebrated its grand opening today with crowds of book and coffee lovers, plus some great music.

When we stopped by this afternoon, two members of the Parisian-themed group Rouge were performing. Singer Janet Rayor was singing in French about what happens during a chance encounter in a crowded place.

Later on, two students from Rosewood Guitar performed mostly holiday classics.

Speaking of Rosewood Guitar, the students’ teacher, Robert Vierschilling, told me the guitar studio hopes to reopen on Feb. 1. Rosewood was seriously damaged in a Nov. 5 arson. Vierschilling says there was more damage than originally thought, plus they decided to do some upgrades, so it’s taken longer than they planned.

Couth Buzzard Espresso Buono’s grand opening party continues until late tonight, with a cabaret-style music performance from 7-10 p.m.