Eastern Cafe

Eastern Cafe was a two-story coffee shop located in the Eastern Hotel building on Maynard Avenue in Seattle's Chinatown–International District. Owned by I-Miun Liu, the independent business operated from 2013 to September 2023 and became known as a gathering place for coffee, study, work, food, community events, and Asian Pacific American literary culture. It was one of the district's relatively few Western-style coffee shops when it opened. Liu developed the cafe in a large, ballroom-like space that had previously been occupied by an office clinic. The premises had reportedly been vacant for about three years before he signed the lease. To create the cafe, carpet and drywall were removed, exposing original fir flooring and mint-green and yellow cement walls. The resulting interior combined high ceilings, gray walls, small tables, communal seating, and rotating artwork. Local descriptions emphasized its industrial and loft-like character without excessive decorative distressing. Laptop users and students were a visible part of the clientele, giving the venue the atmosphere of a college-town cafe during examination season. The menu centered on coffee and espresso beverages but extended beyond drinks. Food offerings included crepes, gelato, sandwiches, pastries such as pear turnovers, and other cafe fare. Eastern Cafe also served beer from rotating taps, a small selection of wine, mimosas, and beermosas, giving it a broader all-day and evening role than a conventional coffee counter. The business grew slowly at first, according to Liu, but developed a following as its atmosphere became established. In 2014, local reporting described the cafe as generating revenue and expanding, although Liu also expressed concern that Seattle's proposed increase in the minimum wage to $15 per hour could threaten the business. He considered whether to close the Seattle location and open elsewhere, including Bellevue or Renton, but Eastern Cafe continued operating in Seattle. Eastern Cafe also served as a community venue. It hosted events including a 2014 conversation hour involving Washington state representative Eric Pettigrew and a 2019 election-night gathering organized by Port of Seattle commissioner Sam Cho. During the Black Lives Matter and George Floyd protests, artist Mari Shibuya painted a portrait of Breonna Taylor on one of the cafe's exterior panels. A distinctive cultural initiative associated with the cafe was the API Flying Bookshelf, a small honor-system library focused on Asian Pacific American writers and subjects. Launched at Eastern Cafe in 2014 by Sabrina Chen and Derek Dizon, the project included works such as Gene Luen Yang's graphic novel American Born Chinese and John Okada's No-No Boy, along with books connected to Grace Lee Boggs, Yuri Kochiyama, and Thich Nhat Hanh. The initial plan was for the collection to remain at Eastern Cafe during July and August before traveling to other cafes. Its mascot, designed by Angelo Salgado and Jillian Redosendo, depicted an anthropomorphic bookshelf with wings and represented greater visibility for Asian Pacific Americans through literature. The COVID-19 pandemic brought a prolonged interruption. Eastern Cafe closed during the pandemic and did not reopen until early March 2022. After reopening, it faced staffing and supply shortages as well as continuing financial pressure. The business received government assistance and support from local Asian Pacific American organizations, including the Chinatown–International District Business Improvement Area, but those measures did not restore long-term viability. Eastern Cafe permanently closed in September 2023, with the closure attributed to financial difficulties associated with the pandemic.

Eastern Cafe opened in 2013 in Seattle's Chinatown–International District, occupying a large space in the Eastern Hotel building on Maynard Avenue. The premises had previously housed an office clinic and had reportedly stood vacant for approximately three years. Owner I-Miun Liu transformed the space by removing carpet and drywall, exposing original fir floors and mint-green and yellow cement walls. His aim was to create a place where people could gather, study, meet for work, and socialize. The cafe was designed as a two-story, Western-style coffee shop with high ceilings, gray walls, small tables, communal seating, and rotating artwork. Its atmosphere was described by local reviewers as industrial, lofty, and study-friendly. The business served coffee and espresso drinks alongside crepes, gelato, sandwiches, pastries, beer, wine, mimosas, and beermosas. This combination allowed it to function as a daytime coffeehouse, casual food venue, and evening gathering place. Liu described the early business period as slow, but the cafe gradually gained customers as its atmosphere became familiar. By 2014, local coverage characterized the operation as generating revenue and expanding. At the same time, Liu was concerned about labor costs and said Seattle's proposed $15 minimum wage might make the business unsustainable. He also considered moving the concept to Bellevue or Renton, although Eastern Cafe remained in its original Seattle location. Community and cultural activity became important to the cafe's identity. In 2014, it hosted a conversation hour involving Washington state representative Eric Pettigrew. In 2019, it hosted an election-night event organized by Port of Seattle commissioner Sam Cho. The cafe also became the first home of the API Flying Bookshelf, an honor-system collection of books by and about Asian Pacific Americans. Sabrina Chen and Derek Dizon launched the project in 2014, drawing inspiration from the Asian American Curriculum Project. The collection included American Born Chinese, No-No Boy, and works associated with Grace Lee Boggs, Yuri Kochiyama, and Thich Nhat Hanh. The project was intended to circulate among cafes after its initial period at Eastern Cafe. Its winged bookshelf mascot was designed by Angelo Salgado and Jillian Redosendo. During the Black Lives Matter and George Floyd protests, artist Mari Shibuya painted Breonna Taylor on one of the cafe's exterior panels. This further connected the business's physical space with public cultural and political expression. The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted operations. Eastern Cafe closed in 2020 and only reopened in early March 2022. On reopening, it faced staffing shortages, supply problems, and broader financial difficulties affecting restaurants. Government assistance and support from local Asian Pacific American organizations, including the Chinatown–International District Business Improvement Area, helped sustain the business but did not prevent its eventual closure. Eastern Cafe permanently ceased operations in September 2023.

• 2023

  Permanent closure

  [1]Eastern Cafeen.wikipedia.org

  Eastern Cafe closes in September after pandemic-related financial difficulties.

• 2022

  Eastern Cafe reopens

  [1]Eastern Cafeen.wikipedia.org

  The business resumes operations after its extended pandemic closure.

• 2020

  Pandemic closure begins

  [1]Eastern Cafeen.wikipedia.org

  Eastern Cafe closes during the COVID-19 pandemic and remains shut until early March 2022.

• 2019

  Election-night event is hosted

  [1]Eastern Cafeen.wikipedia.org

  The cafe hosts an election-night party organized by Port of Seattle commissioner Sam Cho.

• 2014

  API Flying Bookshelf is launched

  [1]Eastern Cafeen.wikipedia.org

  Sabrina Chen and Derek Dizon establish an honor-system collection of Asian Pacific American books at the cafe.

• 2013

  Eastern Cafe opens

  [1]Eastern Cafeen.wikipedia.org

  The coffee shop begins operating in the Eastern Hotel building in Seattle's Chinatown–International District.

An independent, community-oriented Western-style cafe combining coffeehouse service, casual food, social gathering space, and Asian Pacific American cultural programming.

• Beverages · 2013

  Coffee and espresso drinks

  The core offering consisted of brewed coffee and espresso-based drinks, anchoring the cafe's daytime role as a place for studying, laptop work, meetings, and informal socializing.

• Food · 2013

  Crepes, gelato, sandwiches, and pastries

  Eastern Cafe complemented its drinks with casual food, including crepes, gelato, sandwiches, and pastries such as pear turnovers. These offerings broadened the venue beyond a beverage-only coffee counter.

• Alcoholic beverages · 2013

  Beer, wine, mimosas, and beermosas

  The cafe offered a rotating selection of beers on tap, a small wine list, mimosas, and beermosas, supporting an evening and social-use dimension alongside its coffee business.

• Community cultural program · 2014

  API Flying Bookshelf

  This was an honor-system collection of Asian Pacific American books housed at the cafe. It included titles such as American Born Chinese and No-No Boy and was intended to travel to other cafes after its initial residence at Eastern Cafe.

• 2020Breonna Taylor exterior portrait

  Seattle

  Artist Mari Shibuya painted a portrait of Breonna Taylor on an exterior panel during the Black Lives Matter and George Floyd protests.

  Outcome. The artwork became part of the cafe's visible connection to local protest-era cultural expression.

  Source
• 2014API Flying Bookshelf

  Seattle

  Eastern Cafe hosted the initial phase of a mobile, honor-system library devoted to Asian Pacific American literature. The initiative was created by Sabrina Chen and Derek Dizon and used a winged bookshelf mascot to symbolize increased visibility through literature.

  Outcome. The collection was intended to circulate among cafes across Seattle after its initial July and August placement at Eastern Cafe.

  Source

• 2023

  Permanently close the cafeOther

  Background

  Pandemic-related financial difficulties continued despite government assistance and support from local Asian Pacific American organizations.

  Action taken

  Eastern Cafe ended operations permanently in September 2023.

  Aftermath

  The brand became a defunct Seattle restaurant and coffeehouse.

  Source

• 2020

  Suspend operations during the COVID-19 pandemicOther

  Background

  The pandemic disrupted restaurant demand, staffing, and supply chains.

  Action taken

  Eastern Cafe closed and did not reopen until early March 2022.

  Aftermath

  The business returned to operation but continued to face financial difficulties, staffing shortages, and supply problems.

  Source

• 2013

  Open a community-oriented coffeehouse in the Chinatown–International DistrictStrategy

  Background

  Liu sought to create a gathering place for studying, work meetings, and social interaction in a large vacant commercial space.

  Action taken

  The former office-clinic premises were extensively remodeled and opened as a two-story Western-style cafe.

  Aftermath

  The venue developed a following and became a neighborhood location for food, events, art, and cultural programming.

  Source

1. 1Eastern Cafeen.wikipedia.org