Bidders line up behind the counter at the Charlestown Cafe Friday morning to snag bargain-priced items including metal trays, dishes, coffee makers and mugs, and appliances.
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James G. Murphy Inc., who once auctioned items from the Admiral Cafe, now the Admiral branch of the Bank of America, and from some of the Huling Brothers auto shops, has been auctioning, tables, chairs, pots, pans, and yes, even the kitchen sink, inside the Charlestown Cafe today.
Items on the official auction list include a "25-foot waitress service counter", the double swing kitchen door, two commercial double waffle makers, and those familiar patio chairs.
Restaurateurs came from Portland, Eastern Washington, and of course from down the street. It seemed the closer their establishments were to the Charlestown Cafe, the more emotional the auction was to them.
"If you've been in my shop you know that we're always going through booths and reupholstering," said Easy Street Records' Matt Vaughan, an Alki resident."It would be nice to have a little bit of history of the old Charlestown at the Easy Street Cafe.
Philip and Jolene Krashar live near the cafe and showed up out of curiosity and possibly to bid.
"We really didn't want this (restaurant) to go away," said Philip. Jolene was tearful.
"We need coffee mugs for brunch," said Allison Rich, thinking practically. She co-owns Angelina's in the Admiral Junction with husband, Rich. She said their restaurant is doing well.
Also there was West Seattle resident Gillian Allen-White of Grand Central Bakery, with locations in Pioneer Square, Eastlake, and Burien. "We've been looking for a long time to rent a great place for a bakery in West Seattle, a good neighborhood joint, a great place in a great spot. West Seattle is filled with great people, so that's not a problem."
