The morning downtown Olympia bustle has returned to the corner of Legion Way and Capitol Way on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, with the opening of Johnny Coffee across from Sylvester Park. Steve Bloom The Olympian
Johnny Coffee has opened in downtown Olympia, filling a spot once occupied by Dancing Goat Coffee and Starbucks at Legion Way and Capitol Way, across from Sylvester Park, the co-owner of the business said.
Sam Larsen said the business had its soft opening on Thursday, and in the near term, is going to operate 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily so that the staff can get up to speed before the hours expand.
Larsen previously told The Olympian that they use alderwood-roasted coffee and specialize in the green tea known as matcha, serving organic matcha and matcha lattes, and they have a matcha loose-leaf tea program, he said.
The coffee shop also has what he called a “pretty robust food program,” with house-made syrup, waffles and breakfast sandwiches.
Larsen eventually expects to operate 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Johnny Coffee has opened in downtown Olympia at 550 Capitol Way S. rboone@theolympian.com Rolf Boone
Downtown business will host football Hall of Famer
Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback and Hall of Famer Warren Moon is set to visit T Brothers Liquor Lodge in downtown Olympia from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, for a bottle-signing event, store owner Andy Thielen said.
T Brothers is at 417 Plum St. SE.
The bottle signing is tied to the team’s 50th anniversary celebration. Moon will be signing bottles of Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon. For each signed bottle, he also will sign a personal item, Thielen said.
A hot dog food truck also will be on site, he said. The first 200 people will receive a free hot dog and soda.
The food truck will set up at 12:30 p.m., the signing begins at 1 p.m., Thielen said.
A flyer for the Nov. 15 bottle signing event. T Brothers Liquor Lodge Courtesy
Need an update on west-side Chick-fil-A?
The west-side Chick-fil-A, the second location in Thurston County, continues to take shape at Cooper Point Road and Capital Mall Drive in west Olympia, according to a check of the property.
The chicken sandwich restaurant now occupies a site that was once Fujiyama Japanese Steakhouse. Fujiyama has moved to 1108 Cooper Point Road SW.
But wait... there’s more.
A third Chick-fil-A has been proposed in Olympia on Martin Way where a Red Lobster is located.
The first Chick-fil-A opened at 8302 Quinault Drive NE in Lacey.
Located at Capital Mall Drive, the new Chick-fil-A west Olympia location is nearing completion. Steve Bloom The Olympian
Last coal-fired operating unit at TransAlta comes to a close
The state Employment Security Department has received a worker adjustment and retraining notification for TransAlta Centralia Generation in Centralia, the agency announced.
Seventy-two workers are set to lose their jobs, beginning Jan. 5, according to the state.
In a letter to the state from the company, TransAlta officials said the following:
“TransAlta Centralia Generation, which produces electricity in Lewis County, will stop operations of its last coal-fired operating unit in alignment with state legislation passed in 2011,” the letter reads.
Townhomes sold in Lacey
Kinwood Townhomes, a 46-unit multifamily development at 6802–6853 Fifth Court SE in Lacey, has been acquired by San Francisco-based Glencrest Group, a real estate investment firm, from developer Jackson Homes.
Glencrest paid $281,521 per unit, or about $13 million for the property, according to connectcre.
The sale was brokered by Colliers. Colliers’ Chris Hardman, senior vice president, and associate Drew Feldman represented both the buyer and the seller in the transaction.
“Out-of-state capital continues to pursue opportunities in well-located Pacific Northwest markets, underscoring the region’s long-term investment appeal,” said Hardman in a statement.
Kinwood Townhomes were developed in 2004.
A Glencrest managing partner said they were drawn to the “strong rental demand in the Olympia-Lacey market.”
Home buying expo set for Saturday in Lacey
The city of Lacey invites residents to the first-ever Thurston County Homebuying Expo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, at the Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Ave. SE.
The free event, presented by the city and Thurston County Realtors Association, aims to connect aspiring area home buyers with housing experts, lenders, Realtors, nonprofits and community advocates.
Attendees will have access to resources, including down payment assistance programs and steps to become a first-time home buyer.
Attendees also can participate in a free educational workshop, “Pathways to Homeownership,” at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The presentation will be in English, with materials available in Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog and Chinese.
The event also will highlight initiatives such as the Black Home Initiative and efforts to expand access for tribal members, BIPOC residents, LGBTQIA+ individuals, veterans, immigrants, and other underrepresented groups, according to the city.
“Homeownership remains one of the most important pathways to stability, both economically and in the household,” said Lacey City Manager Rick Walk in a statement. “This event reflects our shared commitment to ensuring everyone in Thurston County has access to the information, tools, and opportunities to help them achieve that goal.”
People news
Rowan Marie Scholl of Olympia is a new junior member of the American Angus Association, the Missouri-based organization announced.
Junior members of the association are eligible to register cattle in the American Angus Association, participate in National Junior Angus Association programs and take part in association-sponsored shows and other national and regional events.
The American Angus Association is the largest beef breed association in the world, with more than 21,000 active adult and junior members.
If you know of a retailer, restaurant, coffee shop or other business that is opening, closing, expanding, remodeling, or changing its focus, send an email to reporter Rolf Boone at rboone@theolympian.com.