Eat All About It: Seattle-style coffee is at The Local

The Local, the Tri-Cities’ third-wave coffee house, is growing.

Owners Jenna and Michael Tormanen opened a second version of The Local at BlankSpace, 5453 Ridgeline Drive, in western Kennewick.

The Local’s new edition is in a former juice bar subleased from BlankSpace, a gathering spot and event center.

The formal debut is at 8 a.m. Saturday and includes a day of special events and visitors, arts, music and presentations.

Coffee drinks are half off all day or free to those who check in and tag the business on Facebook and Instagram.

The Local sources beans from Seattle’s Victrola Coffee Roasters, known for its industry-leading bean quality.

It has a limited pastry menu and even more limited food menu that includes granola bowls, as well as elaborate avocado toast that’s in high demand.

From the Tri to Seattle and back

The Tormanens are Tri-City natives who connected in Seattle. When they decided to come home so Jenna could complete her degree at WSU Tri-Cities, they found themselves missing the west side’s coffee house culture.

Michael worked in high-end Seattle spots such as Freshy’s. Before the couple married, Michael lived with friends who suggested he take over the old Mocha Express on West Gage Boulevard when it came up for sale in 2013.

The couple, together with friends Zimri and Maria Barker, they purchased Mocha Express’ business and equipment, took over the building lease and made it The Local. The Tormanens jointly owned it wwith the Barkers for three years until buying them out.

The Tormanens gave the space a do-it-yourself remodel to give it a clean aesthetic.

The vibe was hip, with the coffee house committed to offering quality, unrushed brews.

Jenna Tormanen said she’s proud they used their own savings and personal loans from family and friends, instead of a traditional bank.

Commercial lenders weren’t particularly interested in The Local’s business model in 2013, pointedly asking why they didn’t just franchise a well-known drive-through brand.

“They laughed in our face,” she said.

From the start, the Tormanens wanted to distinguish The Local from the Tri-Cities’ more conventional coffee venues catering to rushed crowds.

Its quality-over-quantity vibe is markedly on display in the drive-through window, a holdover from the Mocha Express days.

The Local retained the window and Jenna Tormanen said she appreciates how important drive-throughs are to busy customers, particularly moms.

But The Local isn’t a fast turnaround coffee shop and it can take minutes to get a beverage.

When a customer complained online about the long wait, she admits it stung.

Expanding opportunities

The opportunity to grow came last fall when Karma Juice closed at BlankSpace.

Owner Liv Berg asked if The Local would be interested in the space, which was already set up with a bar and some seating.

Jenna jumped at the opportunity.

Set up was minimal. The Local added coffee equipment and seating.

When the weather improves, it will add eating on the expansive deck overlooking the Plaza Way roundabout and C. J. Rench’s 22-foot Dancing Fields metal sculpture of wildflowers, part of Kennewick’s outdoor art collection.

The Local has a limited liquor license to sell beer and hard cider at Gage Boulevard and is applying for a beer and wine license for the new Southridge spot.

“We’re not done growing,” she said.

The Local at BlankSpace is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

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This story was originally published January 30, 2018 at 3:04 PM with the headline "Eat All About It: Seattle-style coffee is at The Local."