Cafe Wannabee, University District

Posted by Amanda Ford in Relaxin'

It would be easy for any woman to quickly develop a schoolgirl crush on Wally, proprietor of the University District’s latest and greatest new coffeehouse. In my first twenty-minute meeting with him, I learned that the man is dedicated (it took him a year and a half to get the cafe up and running as his fulltime construction gig only allowed him an hour or two at night to work on building his business), that he is creative (the whimsical, mosaic-inspired tabletops that fill the shop were all designed and created by him), that he is adventurous (he once risked life and limb jumping out of his car on the freeway to claim a five-foot long, rusty, antique saw that had fallen from somebody else’s truck), and finally, that he is playful (his blue eyes, although mostly full of kindness, sparkle with a bit of mischief).
Wally’s vibe permeates Cafe Wannabee. The mood is friendly; customers chat easily with Wally and with one another. Take this inviting atmosphere and pair it with the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that make up the front of the cafe, and you’ve got a hangout where a girl could easily spend an afternoon. Wannabee has an eclectic collection of books with titles ranging from How to Be A Sex Goddess to The Joy of Signing to Japanese Cooking Class Cookbook. Don’t be startled if you find yourself greeted by a large, barking, Hungarian Sheep Dog. She only wants a little love. Give her a rub and she’ll quiet right down.
Ladies, take note: before you rush to see if Wannabee’s Wally will have your heart going pitter-patter, you must know that the man has a girlfriend. She’s the one who designed the adorable bee logo painted on the front window. (But wait! Now that I think about it, I realize that Wally said “a girlfriend” designed the logo. He said a girlfriend, not my girlfriend. This could mean an ex-girlfried or even a girl friend. Hmmm. We’d better investigate).
Cafe Wannabee
5049 Brooklyn AVE NE
(206) 523-6294