Crime & Safety

Blue Steele Coffee Company Up For Best Coffeehouse In The West

The former Forza Coffee Company - the site where gunman Maurice Clemmons gunned down four Lakewood Police Officers - has qualified for the regional America's Best Coffeehouse Competition. You can help Blue Steele win.

Once the scene of one of Lakewood's darkest days, the wants to gain national notoriety for another reason.

The shop just outside of Lakewood is one 20 coffeehouses in Washington, Oregon, California and Idaho competiting in America's Best Coffeehouse competition. It's all part of Coffee Fest Seattle, a specialty coffee trade show scheduled for Sept. 21-23.

The 20 coffeehouses must race to see who can get the most votes from their customers, friends and fans up by Sept. 4.

Find out what's happening in University Placewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

(Fans can vote for Blue Steele or any of the other coffeehouses by clicking here. Supporters may also vote from their Android and iphones using the barcode scanner app by scanning the qr code below listed on the PDF in the media gallery above)

Blue Steel Coffee Company is the site where Maurice Clemmons gunned down four Lakewood Police officers - Sgt. Mark Renninger, Officers Tina Griswold, Ronald Owens and Greg Richards - in November 2009. At the time, it was Forza Coffee Company.

Find out what's happening in University Placewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In May, owners announced the shop would become Blue Steele Coffee Company, a spot where customers could contribute directly to help memorialize the fallen officers.

Different name, same connection to the community. Now, Blue Steele is in the running for some pretty cool bragging rights.

The 20 coffeehouses will be evaluated by Coffee Fest and/or Secret Shopper judges who will visit and grade each shop on customer service, drink quality, ambiance, cleanliness, organization and efficiency.

Out of the competition, the top eight coffeehouses will advance to the finals of Coffee Fest Seattle in September.

Come on, University Place, Lakewood, Tacoma, Gig Harbor and the rest of the South Sound. Let's help give Blue Steele Coffee Company the notoriety it truly deserves.

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Grand Opening set for Oct. 6

Blue Steele also wants to invite residents to its grand opening Oct. 6:

"Please join us on Saturday, October 6th for the BlueSteele Coffee Company grand opening.Β  Come taste our new House-Made Syrups and Chai tea, loose leaf tea and the best espresso around. We will have live music, new special drink and food tastings. To find out about upcoming events and special offers check out our facebook page at www.facebook.com/BlueSteeleCoffee or you can scan the qr code below."

(Again, to scan the qr codes, click on the document in the media gallery above)


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