Landmark Kennewick espresso shop to close

Jed Morris grew up with Espresso World. Now he is trying to get ready for life without what he considers a local landmark.

Morris, 35, was in high school when he started going to the Kennewick coffee shop because it had iced coffee — something he’d never heard of in the Tri-Cities.

He ended up working there during college and now takes his daughter there twice a week. The West Richland real estate broker also likes to meet his clients at the shop at 7510 W. Clearwater Ave.

“The atmosphere has always been very laid back,” he said. “You can come in and hang out, whether you buy a drink or not.”

Owners Greg and Vonda Smith said it was new concept for the area when they opened in 1993, before Starbucks or large chains were around.

“There was no drive-through espresso in the Tri-Cities when we started,” Vonda said. “Obviously, that’s not the case now.”

They knew it was a matter of time before someone brought the idea here.

“In the Tri-Cities, everybody drives everywhere,” she said. “But we also wanted to have a nice, indoor cafe and outdoor patio so people, basically, could enjoy it all.”

The business also serves soup, sandwiches and pastries. Espresso World eventually expanded to Richland and Pasco, but the Smiths sold those stores six years ago.

Those locations, now Roasters Coffee, at least continue to sell coffee. The Kennewick Espresso World will be remodeled and turned into a bank.

“It was time for us to move on, and we got an offer we can’t refuse,” Vonda said.

So Espresso World will close without fanfare Feb. 13.

“It’s just a soft close,” Greg said.

Few businesses were located in their part of West Clearwater when Espresso World opened. Now a Starbucks is just up the block.

But the Smiths don’t necessarily blame the Seattle-based giant for their shop’s demise.

“Initially, when Starbucks came in, it had a pretty big impact on our business,” Vonda said. “Now there are so many of them that people are either Starbucks customers or they’re not.”

A major difference between Starbucks and Espresso World is that the large chain features a dark roast, while Espresso World serves a medium roast.

The Smiths will focus their energies on Z Place Salon & Spa, a 9,000-square-foot business they own in the Southridge area. Vonda notes that things have come full circle, because Espresso World grew out of a coffee stand they had at a previous location of their salon.

Now, the espresso counter at Z Place will be the only place to get their coffee.

The Smiths said they’ll miss their customers and seven employees.

“A lot of our customers have a family-type relationship with us,” Vonda said. “Our employees, they’re very, very loyal.”

Morris even inquired about buying Espresso World and keeping it open before learning it would become a bank.

“It will be dearly missed,” he said. “I’m sad it’s becoming a bank. I wish it were still something local.”

Morris will have to find someplace else to take his family and meet with customers now that the “Grandfather of Tri-Cities Coffee Shops” is closing.

“Sadly, it will probably be Starbucks,” he said.

This story was originally published February 8, 2015 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Landmark Kennewick espresso shop to close."