Speaking of bikini barista stands, did you catch the reference in our recent story on Port Orchard’s downtown banner? Public Works Director Mark Dorsey noted that since a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on sign content, the city could be opening itself up to hosting photos of bikini baristas on Bay Street. My guess is the usual customers — like The Cruz car show, Fathoms O’ Fun summer festival and the Rotary Crab Feed — will snap up all the slots when banner booking opens March 1.
In other sexpresso news, the Banana Hammock of Port Orchard
recently was featured in a Zagat video in People Magazine online.
That’s owner Adam Lovejoy in the feature shot.
The video largely focused on controversy over the opening of a
bikini barista stand in Spokane. The title, “Topless Baristas Have
Taken Over Washington State,” makes it sound like the sexpresso
trend is something new. Whereas we, at the Kitsap Sun, reported on
the first stands to serve coffee with a view near five years
ago.
By comparison, Lovejoy’s
Banana Hammock, open in April 2014, was a latecomer, but he did
have the the niche of being the only such stand in Kitsap County
with male baristas (baristos?). And BTW, they don’t wear banana
hammocks (I had to look it up when I reported on the business).
Think muscular, mostly shirtless guys, sometimes in costumes like
fireman, cowboy etc.
The Banana Hammock seemed to be going out on a limb, especially
with its location on Highway 166, outside Port Orchard and off the
beaten path. Nearly two years later, however, and “business is
great,” said Lovejoy. “We made it the past two years doing what I
love. … Business has been great. We’ve been growing every day.”
Banana Hammock is billed in the video as the only male topless coffee stand in the state, which is true to the best of Lovejoy’s knowledge.
The location hasn’t hurt him any. People have beaten a path to the little yellow shack with the cheeky monkey logo, Lovejoys says. “A lot of people will travel the extra mile to come see us because of our product. We offer something different that other people don’t have.”
Lovejoy, 26, who saved up money to open the business by working construction, employs five guys, not counting himself. The stand is a full-time gig for this father of two young children.
The video, which published Jan. 14 and has millions of views on YouTube, has been a boon to the Banana Hammock. “I think I’ve seen some new faces since then,” Lovejoy said.
