Café Aroma in Ridgecrest was shuttered unexpectedly by the City of Shoreline after it accused the cafe of operating an unlicensed “adult cabaret” during the business’ off-hours.
The cafe was also operating without a valid business license, as theirs expired December 31, 2023, according to the City of Shoreline. Its regular hours are from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with weekends opening an hour later.
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According to Shoreline Area News, the issue was brought to the city’s attention after a Ridgecrest resident submitted a See-Click-Fix notice. See-Click-Fix is a tool Shoreline uses to allow citizens to report and track non-emergency issues through the city’s website or its mobile app.
“I discovered that these events appear to be adult-oriented parties involving group sexual activities and BDSM practices,” the See-Click-Fix notice read, obtained by Shoreline Area News. “These events are particularly concerning given that they take place in what is typically used as the ‘kids’ room’ during the day, a space designed for children with toys and play areas.”
The “adult cabaret” was allegedly advertised online, with tickets to the after-hours events offered on Brown Paper Tickets. The ticketing site has since removed the events from its platform.
Café Aroma — located at 509 Northeast 165th Street — has existed within its community for 22 years, growing from an espresso stand outside an automotive repair shop into a widespread eatery with indoor and outdoor seating, a kids play area and a small community book-sharing library. The cafe was sold to new owners, Vicious Coffee, two years ago.
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The owners have 14 days to appeal the action of both notices the City of Shoreline flagged.
Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.