An Indigenous and woman-owned coffee roaster, coffee shop and cafe and a snack and basic-necessity shop for boaters will bring change to the historic Coupeville Wharf just in time for Penn Cove Musselfest.
Beaver Tales Coffee took over the space previously occupied by The Cove, while Wharf Dog Paddle and Pantry is an extension of the kayak rental business on the wharf that will provide grab-and-go goods and basic boater necessities in the Collections Boutique building on Front Street.
Michelle Calvin and Tony Cladoosby own Beaver Tales Coffee, a coffee and gift shop that roasts its own coffee on tribal lands. The first location was opened in La Conner in 2021, and a second made its debut at Skagit Valley College in Oak Harbor last summer.
Cladoosby is a Swinomish tribal member and dreams of opening a coffee shop on each of the seven territories that comprise the Swinomish people’s traditional homelands, including Whidbey.
“Land back, one coffee shop at a time,” as Calvin quoted him during a presentation to the Town of Coupeville Council earlier this month, where it received excited reactions from the council and members of the community, including the Creative District Steering Committee.
He and Calvin, a white woman who was adopted Tlingit, are determined to help preserve and protect both the Indigenous and colonial histories that have shaped the communities of today, bridging the gap between native and non-native communities. In the Tlingit tribe, Calvin clarified, being adopted is an honorary title but does not grant people tribal membership.
“Every sip tells a story, and we’re inviting everyone to be a part of it,” Calvin said in a press release.
The cafe will provide food, pastries, drinks and feature culturally significant decor. Later, Calvin said in an interview, the shop will provide indigenous foods, cooking classes and tasting events. But that’s not the end of it.
Next year, Cladoosby and Calvin will begin to develop a Cultural Center and Natural History Preserve on the wharf that integrates a restaurant, coffee shop, gift shop, gallery and educational space where community members can learn about Indigenous heritage — which is often in the shadow of the local colonial history, Calvin said. To make the cultural center happen, Calvin said, they are collaborating with a variety of organizations and businesses, including the Coupeville Creative District.
Beaver Tales will have a soft opening Friday, March 1, and will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., while the grand opening will take place May 18 during the Penn Cove Water Festival, because canoes are an integral part of Indigenous culture.
Chris Michalopoulos, executive director of the Port of Coupeville, said that having a cultural center come to the wharf “is a dream come true.” Though he acknowledged limited parking on Front Street might be a challenge for businesses, he believes Cladoosby and Calvin’s vision has the potential to bring people to Front Street year round, especially in spring and summer.
“Typically the cafes are the same old thing,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to be the same old thing with the cultural center.”
Michalopoulos also expressed excitement for Wharf Dog Paddle and Pantry.
Last Saturday, Kyle Magnuson and Danielle Vracin — who is also the wharf manager — signed the lease for the building at 24 Front St., currently occupied by Collections Boutique, with the goal of opening by Musselfest.
While presenting his business to the Port of Coupeville commissioners Wednesday, Magnuson explained he saw a need for grab-and-go snacks for boaters, daytrippers and people waiting for a table at a restaurant. While selling bottled drinks and snacks, Wharf Dog Paddle and Pantry will continue to provide kayak and paddle board rentals, and might keep some of Collection Boutique’s inventory as well.
Tony Cladoosby and Michelle Calvin receive the key to their business, Beaver Tales Coffee, located at the historic Coupeville Wharf. (Photo provided)
Tony Cladoosby and Michelle Calvin smile in front of the historic Coupeville Wharf, home to their newest coffee shop location. (Photo by Michelle Calvin)
From left, Collections Boutique Owner Jen Bachmann, Danielle Magnuson, Kyle Magnuson and baby Oscar Magnuson celebrate after the Magnusons signed the lease for the building that will house their new business, Wharf Dog Paddle and Pantry. (Photo provided)
