The Station Soft Opens in Columbia City

The popular Beacon Hill caf now boasts a second location.

by Alex Garland

Luis Rodriguez and Leona Moore-Rodriguez, spouses and co-owners of Beacon Hill caf The Station, have created another "third space" by claiming a slice of Columbia City and making it their own. In an increasingly challenging city to start something new, friends, neighbors, and customers have rallied behind the coffee duo to make sure this new space happens.

It takes a special kind of person to open a business. "Let's be honest, we are one of a kind. Business owners are people who are willing to risk it all and lose it all for something greater," said Luis. Although he wants you to stop in to buy a coffee, profits aren't all that matter to him.

"It gives me a lot of pride in knowing that I'm leaving something behind for my kids, you know, a legacy for them, that their father, who's an immigrant from Mexico, came and opened a business for them who are Black and Mexican, you know, and I don't know where I'll be in the next 20 years, but hopefully The Station will still be open."

Opening the first Station coffee shop was no small feat for Luis. Navigating the permitting process, securing licenses, and investing a large amount of money made his first dream a reality. Now 14 years into owning a business, Luis says the challenges aren't any better and, in fact, may have gotten worse. For example, one obstacle to opening the Columbia City location was the delay in getting an inspection. "City of Seattle permitting, I can say, is a nightmare. There are very few inspectors for such a big city. I think the City of Seattle definitely needs to hire more inspectors."

Another roadblock to the opening of a small business is the permitting process itself. As Luis points out, in South Lake Union, "a small city" was built up in a few years, but with an army of lawyers and accountants, those large businesses breeze through the process. According to Luis, small business owners need more help. "Even though I'm a business owner, and I've been in business for a long time, we still need some type of help from the City of Seattle, and King County to teach us what to do. What is the next step?" Luis feels that an organization or office should exist to help entrepreneurs. "There's no guidance, everybody's on their own."

Regardless of the challenges they faced, Luis and Leona have done it again. They've opened a space for everyone to warm up, grab a bite, and sip on a coffee brewed from Fulcrum Coffee Roasters beans. "It gives me a lot of pride and joy to be a Black and Brown business, hiring Black and Brown kids around our neighborhood and have our kids from these neighborhoods having a place where they can sit down, and they don't have to buy anything, they can just come here and chill and relax and feel safe."

Even though it was Luis who did the interview with the Emerald, Leona was there, working. When asked how the new place affected their relationship, Luis mentioned that it was really Leona who did the hard work. "She's the McDonald's corporation, I'm just the clown". While you may see Luis behind the counter less and less these days as he tends to get caught up chatting with customers and cracking jokes, Leona will still be diligently slinging her famous latte and chai drinks.

While this week they continue their soft opening, The Station's grand opening is Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 3000 S. Alaska St., Ste A&B.

📸 Featured Image: Leona Moore-Rodriguez (left) and Luis Rodriguez, spouses and co-owners of The Station. (Photo: Alex Garland)