Madison Park Starbucks
Grab a latte, score a venture capital deal? You might just have that luck if you pop into the Starbucks in Seattle’s tony Madison Park neighborhood.
The late Keith Grinstein of Second Avenue Partners hung out there so much that some in the venture community simply called it “Keith’s office.” You still see entrepreneurs — laptops in hand — making their pitches to VCs. (Especially in the early morning). “It is the closest thing to Bucks that we have,” said Seattle venture capitalist Greg Gottesman, referring to the famed venture capital hangout in Silicon Valley.
On a recent summer afternoon, the place was packed with a diverse crowd of retirees, police officers and kids who wanted a refreshment after a swim in nearby Lake Washington. But a good portion of the folks sprawled out on wooden tables and in cushy leather chairs were touting laptops, including one retired software geek who was playing World of Warcraft.
Thomas Kreyche, who does technology consulting and counts some venture capitalists as friends, is a frequent visitor. “There’s probably more venture capital discussion that goes on at this Starbucks than any other in town,” said Kreyche. “People come from downtown to have business meetings here.” One of the possible reasons for the activity, Kreyche surmises, is the coffee shop’s proximity to the McGilvra Elementary School where a number of high-tech folks take their kids.
Thomas Kreyche of Mirage Engineering works at the Madison Park Starbucks
Location: 4000 E Madison St., Seattle
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