Local grocer Harbor Greens adding Gig Harbor coffee shop to its business
Independent grocer Harbor Greens, with locations in University Place and Gig Harbor, unveiled expansion news for the start of 2019.
In a posting Jan. 1 on Facebook, the grocery, owned by Chad Roy and Scott Teodoro, announced the purchase of the MarKee Coffee shop, 5275 Olympic Drive NW, Suite 101, next to Harbor Greens’ Gig Harbor location.
Harbor Greens’ owners owned the site years ago as a Forza Coffee Company site before selling it back to Forza. It eventually became MarKee. Its owners recently approached Roy and Teodoro for another round of ownership.
The grocer’s owners are renaming the coffee shop Davenport Gourmet Coffee Taproom + Wine.
In its Facebook post, the grocer said: “It is our desire to provide a coffee shop that is an extension of our own homes. We want customers to have a place to enjoy coffee and food items, beer and wine, prepared by a staff that is genuinely happy to welcome you into a cozy and comfortable space.”
Its grand opening is planned for later this month. According to its New Year’s Day post: “We will be working hard, this week and next, to make a few changes to the store, hire and train our staff and bring our vision to life.”
Roy told The News Tribune on Wednesday that they are in the process of “retooling and remodeling the whole place; probably 10 to 14 days before we open.”
They also are in the process of clearing out the old to make way for the new. The Gig Harbor grocery store still has some of MarKee’s chairs for sale. “They just didn’t go with the theme,” Roy said.
Roy and Teodoro currently are interviewing for baristas. Interested applicants can send an email to scott@harborgreensmarket.com.
In an October 2017 News Tribune profile, Roy reflected on how both of their stores had survived and retained their customer base amid the arrivals of Whole Foods in University Place and Kroger’s (now shuttered) Main & Vine and the opening of a new Fred Meyer near their Gig Harbor store.
“I think Gig Harbor is unique in that they want to support small, locally owned businesses,” Roy said at the time.
Their new site will offer its own Davenport roast.
“We are really excited about doing great coffee,” Roy said Wednesday. “We already have the food component, and this will come together with good people who know their products focusing on the best coffee in town.”
This story was originally published January 2, 2019 at 12:47 PM.
