One downtown cafe bumped for a bigger one

For seven years, Two Blocks Up Cafe, at the corner of Fourth Street and Pacific Avenue, has served up sandwiches, oversized cookies and the “Two Block Chop.” But on July 24, the business will close up shop for good.

Their lease is up, and the building’s owners, The Bremer Trust, found a tenant that will rent out a larger 2,200 square foot space. The area includes not only the restaurant but also a western wing of the building that had proved hard to find prospects for, according to Gary Gartin of Bradley Scott.

For Taylor Wagner, the move is a hard one.

“This has been my baby for seven years,” she said.

Come August, the new tenant will move in. So what’s coming? The Hot Java Cafe, which already has a location within the Silverdale Beach Hotel. The cafe also used to have coffee stands at the Home Depots in Silverdale and Poulsbo before the big box store disallowed other businesses from operating there.

Lacey Coolbaugh, who owns the business along with DeeDee Easler, said they’re taking on their biggest ever cafe endeavor. After taking over the space now held by Two Blocks Up, they plan this winter to expand the cafe by taking on the additional unrented space behind it.

“We’re really, really excited about it,” she said.

They’re aiming for a community gathering place, to include not only your morning coffee but your evening beer or wine. Along with a menu of soups, salads and sandwiches, they want to host game nights and musicians. They’re hoping to open in mid-August.

Wagner said she’s enjoyed watching downtown grow and change over the years she’s been there. But she knows what the hardest part of leaving will be.

“Not seeing the people,” she said. “That’s what I’m gonna miss.”

Wagner’s next move? She’ll soon be opening “LaTay,” an espresso stand near the Chevron station on top of RIdgetop (off Silverdale Way).