Bedlam Coffee House had Grand Opening on May 27, 2009. Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 7am-10pm. 24-hour weekends, Fri. 7am – Sun. 10pm.
Contact: Ben Borgman, 206-910-2300
Address: 2231 2nd Ave., Seattle, WA 98121 (@ 2nd & Bell)
Email: bedlam@bedlamite.com
Website: www.bedlamite.com

http://www.dailycandy.com/seattle/article/43673/Our+Kind+of+Crazy

http://www.belltownpeople.com/2009/05/24/bedlam-coffee-coming-to-belltown

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/voracious/2009/05/bedlam_coffee_in_belltown_open.php

http://www.yelp.com/biz/bedlam-coffeehouse-seattle

http://www.gotime.com/places/25812-Bedlam-Coffee-Belltown-Seattle

http://bedlamite.com/next/?p=400

June 25, 2009 — In a recession, the general consumer will see more stores closing than opening. But now Belltown residents have an opportunity to relax and savor one of Seattle’s favorite items – coffee – in a new environment at Bedlam Coffee.

Despite the success of large chain operators throughout the region, and the world for that matter, Ben Borgman, Chis Connors, and Jesse Crawford, owners of Bedlam Coffee, feel they have the right mix of ingredients to make a boutique coffee house a success, despite the economic woes rhetoric.

“Bedlam Coffee is focused on sharing 25 years of experience and all-around love for coffee with the neighborhood. And we wanted to do it in an environment that is fun and unique, but relaxed and feels like home,“ explains Borgman. And unique is right. The decor can certainly be described as Bedlam, with an eclectic mix of refurbished furniture, artists works, and various ends and oddities, like a crazed monkey, stacked globes, chandeliers and a 1950’s vintage exterior sign.

As Borgman states, “One of my favorite aspects of Belltown is that many businesses here reflect the owners and their own personal interests and styles. We wanted Bedlam to mirror that and be a place we would personally enjoy hanging out. So, our hope is to make Bedlam a place where artists, bakers, or other creative minds can have a place to showcase their work amongst their peers, and for business folks or average joes to have a comfortable place to unwind, connect with friends, and perhaps see some things that are new and inspiring. We don’t want to be just a member of the business community, we want to be a part of and reflect the entire community as well.”

Borgman should know a little about unique coffee shops. Bedlam is the next evolution beyond Bedlam To Go (BTG), the roadside attraction of coffee houses. Built in a narrow street-facing storage space in Capitol Hill, BTG was an outdoor/walk-up coffee stand, leveraging an abstract collection of materials and design, all created from hand by Borgman and a few friends.

As many know though, the decor is just window dressing. How to judge the quality of coffee in Seattle on the other hand is a never-ending debate. But the owners won’t tell you who they’re brewing. A much guarded shop floor secret, all they’ll say is, “it’s a micro-roaster from Montana who only parts with 40lbs at a time.”
What’s important to Bedlam is to make coffee smooth, with a rich taste, and without the bitterness. Other quality ingredients include Guittard Chocolate, White Chocolate and Caramel sauces, and Monin syrups.

A selection of baked goods and treats from Mighty O Donuts, Little Rae’s, and Mamma’s Bakery round out the menu, such as an exquisite Hummingbird Cake with pineapple, bananas, pecans, and cream cheese frosting – perfect for dessert or breakfast. Dessert or breakfast? Bedlam Coffee will be open for 63 straight hours on the weekends, giving the late night crowd, bar staff, and insomniacs a great place to help them kick back and transition from night to day. Another added bonus of Bedlam is a private meeting room that seats nine individuals and can be reserved in advanced, at no cost, for committee meetings, study groups, or individual requests.

So while many businesses over the past couple of years have seen their doors closed, Bedlam proves that a sharp design doesn’t have to come from the pages of a magazine. Good taste isn’t reserved for a select few. And great ideas won’t be hindered by any circumstance. So, quite frankly, we believe their idea may just be – right on the money.