SEATTLE, Washington (CNN) — After a bikini barista shop in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle failed to attract enough customers, a new coffee shop — this one employing shirtless men — has taken its place.
Two baristas are turning head and getting people to pull out their cameras at Dreamboyz Espresso.
“There was a topless guy sitting in there with swollen pecs and whatnot,” said Jacob Haeger of Capitol Hill.
The signs, advertising “hot guys serving hot coffee,” recently went up.
“I worked for Starbucks a couple years back and I really enjoyed being a barista,” said Brandon Peters, one of the Dreamboyz baristas.
“(I) felt like why can women do it, but men can’t,” said Ja’Shaun Williams, another of the Dreamboyz baristas.
The owners of this new coffee stand also own 45 Ladybug Bikini espresso stands, with female baristas, across Washington and Oregon.
There was one in the Capitol Hill spot for about a year, but it closed a few months ago after a lack of business.
The owners said their customers and employees suggested hiring men to serve coffee instead.
“You think there’s a market for hot guys serving coffee?”
“When isn’t there?”
Even people who aren’t so into the idea of bikini baristas with women said they’re finding this stand has a different vibe.
“The whole concept is very odd to me, it’s something from a bygone era,” Haeger said about bikini-clad baristas. “I don’t think it has any place in today’s society.”
Dreamboyz, though, offered something different.
“I thought it was fun,” Haeger said. “I’ve never seen anything like it and I was like, ‘Yeah. Hell yeah, this is Capitol Hill. Bring it on.’”
Customers and neighbors alike all seem to think there’s no better place for this stand than in Seattle’s Pride Central.
“I definitely like the idea of equality with it now, there’s a male stand and female stands, so I mean I really like it and I think it’s a cool form of a little bit of entertainment with your coffee,” Peters said.
“I love talking to the guys and the girls,” Williams added. “Everyone’s been very appropriate and respectful. I appreciate it, I love it.”
The restaurant sharing the lot with Dreamboyz said before, the ladies were basically topless, and they got a lot of complaints from parents.
The restaurant said it’s much happier to have the men there now.
Owners said they may open other male-only locations.
