SEQUIM — Customers of The Buzz coffee shop were buzzing Tuesday: Their hive is about to be shut down, and they plan to fight for it.
The Buzz at 128 N. Sequim Ave. is scheduled to close its doors this week, just as the Itty Bitty Buzz, 110 E. First St. in Port Angeles, did Monday, said Deb Ferguson, owner of the nearly decade-old community gathering places.
Ferguson said the building that houses The Buzz and her original business, the boutique BeeDazzled, faces foreclosure.
“It’s day to day,” she said. “I’m doing everything I can to keep The Buzz open.”
The Itty Bitty Buzz closed Monday, but the two Sequim shops remained open.
Ferguson didn’t know yet which day will be their last but said both will shut down at the same time, most likely before Friday.
The foreclosure process is in the final steps before her lenders take further action, Ferguson said.
“It’s less than 30 days,” she said.
Ferguson opened her boutique, BeeDazzled, 13 years ago in the building, built in 1926, that once housed five businesses.
Nine years ago, she added The Buzz coffee shop, which eventually took over most of the building, and a year later, she expanded into Port Angeles with the Itty Bitty Buzz.
Friends of the Buzz
Ferguson’s customers are loyal — loyal enough that once the word got around about the impending closure, they organized the Friends of The Buzz to try to save their favorite haunt.
The Friends of The Buzz will meet at 5 p.m. Friday at The Buzz to see if there is some way to save the coffee shop.
Ferguson wasn’t sure what they can do but said she has hopes the group may come up with something she hasn’t considered.
“We’re throwing it out to the community for a solution,” Ferguson said.
Itty Bitty buyer
Ferguson has a buyer for the Itty Bitty Buzz and expects the Port Angeles store will quickly reopen with the new owner, she said.
She declined to say who the new buyer is.
Ferguson said she is looking for a buyer or partner for The Buzz.
In her best-case scenario, a new partner would run the coffee shop while Ferguson continued to operate BeeDazzled.
The summer season is about to start — the business’ best time of year, she said.
Economy hit hard
Ferguson said her businesses have been deeply affected by the general economy, both with the increase in the cost of supplies and a general decrease in customer spending.
On Tuesday, it was difficult to tell the business is in trouble.
Most of the tables at The Buzz’s comfortable, homey dining area were occupied by groups and individuals sipping coffee, chatting, reading or working on computers.
Ferguson greeted her customers by name, chatting with them about their lives, while her 6-year-old Pomeranian/Pekingese dog, Buzzbee, named by customers, enthusiastically tried to get them to play.
Every few minutes, customers stopped at Ferguson’s table, offering concern for the business and for Ferguson herself.
Many ‘going to be sad’
“A lot of people are going to be sad,” said Safina Mariano, 15, of Sequim.
Mariano, a Sequim High School student, said she will miss the coffee shop, just a few blocks from her school, if it can’t be saved.
Nearly every day of the week, community groups gather at The Buzz, including a knitting group, a Scrabble group, book clubs and others.
The Buzz has six employees, and there are another four at the Itty Bitty Buzz.
“I have the best staff anywhere of any, and they’re talented,” Ferguson said. “They have my back, at both locations.
“It’s sad they have to look for new jobs,” she added.
“Based on their ability and expertise, I hope they can get good jobs.”
For more information or to discuss partnership or purchase, phone Ferguson at 360-477-7413.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
