Tucked into the left corner of Woodinville Bodega, Three Cats Coffee is a must-visit. Owner Shannon opened the 100% vegan coffee shop after years of struggling to find good plant-based options while working remotely from local cafés. What started as a couple of pop-ups has grown into a genuine community gathering place where everyone is welcome. We sat down with Shannon to hear the story behind the shop.
What’s the story behind Three Cats Coffee?
My husband and I moved here from Northern Virginia, the D.C. area, and we kept our East Coast jobs. So we would go to coffee shops a lot and essentially work there because we didn’t have offices here. We are also vegan and we struggled to find options. We would work at a coffee shop for a decent number of hours, you know, we want coffee, we would get hungry and there weren’t a whole lot of options. So that kind of sparked the idea the first time. And then about six months in, after we moved to this area, I was laid off and I didn’t really want to go back. I was a tech writer previously, so I thought, why not give this a try? It seems like there’s a market for it. At least for us, we couldn’t find many options.
How did you end up at Woodinville Bodega specifically?
We were looking for a location actually right across the road, contemplating that spot. And we kind of happened upon the Bodega. The side door was open, just very welcoming. My husband was literally at the car and I came back, because I literally told him, hold on a second, I think I’m just gonna talk to him real quick. Just find out if there’s any demand for coffee, vegan options, anything like that. And Perry said he’d been looking for coffee here. He’s kind of a fixture in Woodinville and he’s really great about bringing different cool things he thinks should be introduced to the community. So we did a couple pop-ups and then the rest is history.
How would you describe what Three Cats is all about?
We’re 100% vegan. A lot of that stems from we’ve been vegan, being my partner and me, for several years now, and that’s just something that’s very important. We also have the values of trying to be sustainable just all around, so everything we can possibly serve is compostable, biodegradable. Our philosophy is really just to do as little harm as possible and maximize as much benefit as we can in the community. And I think with a coffee shop, it’s a third space, right? You have home and then a community place. That is kind of what a coffee shop is for. I’m just really grateful that the community actually recognizes that and comes out and uses it that way.
What has the reception been like?
We were really lucky because I think Perry and Woodinville Bodega had a community already to begin with. They were the ones who expressed they wanted coffee. It was definitely a slower start. I was doing it on my own, so it was only Thursday to Sunday. But as we’ve kind of grown, the reception has also been growing. I can’t express how grateful I am to the community. A friend once told me, especially for a vegan business, the vegans will come, but you want your community. Our assistant manager Sarah was literally a customer and she came in and volunteered because it was very important to her to have a community space. She’s not even vegan, but she said, I share those values. I think that is actually a great reflection of how warmly we’ve been received.
What should a first-time customer try?
Give the teriyaki latte a try. It’s not nearly as scary as it sounds. It was actually inspired by a recipe that a Japanese barista had, so I can’t even take credit there. We like to play around with flavors, and I think Washington, maybe Seattle, does have that kind of Asian influence. I’m Taiwanese by background and it does flow a lot into what I like and what I want to put out there. I’m also very partial to our make me blush matcha. It’s got dragon fruit and beetroot powder in it so it’s pretty because it’s pink. It was a special for spring but we still have it, so ask for it if you can. And the baked goods, I swear by them. We partner with Cat Meow Baking Co. and I can literally toss an idea at her, like black sesame biscotti, and she’ll work on it. I don’t think you can get that everywhere.
What’s the meaning behind the name?
I adopted my cat Hallie when I was like a preteen. Did not know what I was doing, didn’t get her spayed, so she had babies and long story short, we ended up with three cats. I honestly don’t know who I would be today without them. So for me, it was a great way to honor them by naming this business Three Cats Coffee, and also to express the philosophy of wanting to change your community for the better, the way they changed my life for the better. We also polled some friends and family and they seemed to like that name a lot more than some of my other options.
How do you approach the vegan side of things with customers who aren’t vegan?
I try to be so careful about it because I never want people to feel on the defensive. The philosophy is sometimes it’s not even really advertised. It’s just, hey, we happen to be vegan, and when you come in, you maybe did a little good or at least did a little less harm somewhere. One of my happiest times is when someone comes in, they get a latte, they have no idea it’s oat milk, and they’re like, that was delicious. Maybe they’ll get oat milk somewhere else. And that does bring down water and land usage. To me, that’s a tiny little bit we did to better our world. We just want to normalize it, to exist and make it a little more normal to be a little kinder and a little more cognizant of what we do every day as we walk around, eat, drink, live.
What are you most proud of?
I’m so proud of the team I’ve put together. My husband has managed for so many years and he taught me how to interview and find really amazing people, but I got really lucky with Sarah. She came in and volunteered because she was passionate about it, and she’s kind of set the tone. Everyone on our team is so friendly, so patient, so kind. And I’m proud that I’m still going. It’s been a really hard month. But every decision is something my partner says a lot. When you’re trying to lead, the main thing is just to make a decision. Because wrong or right, you’ll learn from it. That’s been really tough for me to come to terms with as a perfectionist. Just make the decision. If it’s a mistake, you’ll live and you’ll move on. The more mistakes I make, the more I’m like, that’s just another opportunity to learn.
Three Cats Coffee is located at 17410 133rd Ave NE Suite 101 inside the Woodinville Bodega. Stop in to say hello and grab a tasty coffee, pastry, or vegan sandwich.
