Coffee City
Melissa Allison follows the world's biggest coffee-shop chain and other Seattle caffeine purveyors.
May 18, 2009 12:08 PM
Gypsy Java Cafe gets new owners, drops the "Java"
Posted by Melissa Allison
The coffee shop in the original Archie McPhee space on Stone Way is now The Gypsy Cafe, although that's not reflected on the sign yet.
New owners Debbie Galassi (pictured) and her boyfriend, Ben Steele, bought the shop in March, shortly after she was laid off by Starbucks. Although she was an administrative assistant -- more typing than pulling shots -- she learned to make espresso drinks there and through Caffe Vita, which supplies Gypsy's java.
Steele, who sells medical equipment, learned the cafe was for sale online while cruising for bars for sale. Gypsy's former owners moved to the East Coast, and the timing was right for Galassi, who declined to say how much they paid for the business.
They've been closing at 5:30 p.m. on weekdays, but recently got their beer and wine license and plan to start keeping the place open later -- maybe until 10 p.m. -- for the happy hour crowd.
Here's the place, a few blocks east of the Fremont Troll and across the street from the roaster and wholesaler Pura Vida Coffee:
![]()
View The Gypsy Cafe in a larger map


- QFC blocks new liquor stores from some shopping centers
- Seahawks get TE Kellen Winslow in a trade
- Man accused of hitting noisy kid at Wash. theater
- Hernandez turns duel into laughter in M's 6-1 victory
- 'Lucky to be alive,' teen hails rescuers
- Marysville cop charged with manslaughter in daughter's death
- Police: Roommates tortured Utah man with power tool
- Is the Seattle School Board dysfunctional? U.S. Chamber of Commerce thinks so
- What we saw tonight: exactly what Eric Wedge has spent past 16 months drilling into Mariners hitters | Mariners Blog
- Arrest made in post-NBA game shooting that hurt 8
- Mariners and Hector Noesi go for five wins in a row
372 - Catholic groups turn to courts in contraceptive fight
279 - What we saw tonight: exactly what Eric Wedge has spent past 16 months drilling into Mariners hitters
208 - QFC blocks new liquor stores from some shopping centers
200 - In Romneyworld, the JPMorgan Chase debacle would be no big deal
144 - Is the Seattle School Board dysfunctional? U.S. Chamber of Commerce thinks so
140 - NAACP returns to relevance by backing same-sex marriage
136 - Man accused of hitting noisy kid at Wash. theater
116 - Marysville cop charged with manslaughter in daughter's death
91 - CBO warns of US falling off 'fiscal cliff'
86
- 'Lucky to be alive,' teen hails rescuers
- QFC blocks new liquor stores from some shopping centers
- Jon Kitna's greatest play: NFL QB to high-school math teacher
- World War II veteran takes flight into the past on B-17
- Born to run barefoot? Some end up injured
- Downtown Seattle condos are finally filling up
- Is the Seattle School Board dysfunctional? U.S. Chamber of Commerce thinks so
- 20-somethings go home to regroup
- Man accused of hitting noisy kid at Wash. theater
- Seahawks get TE Kellen Winslow in a trade

May
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| 31 |

