Where are they now?

Ladro Alumni have gone on to do interesting and varied things. Here are just a few of the folks who spent time with us and are off doing great things in the coffee, brewing, restaurants, and more!

Where are they now?

Meg Hagele is the owner of High Point Cafe in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She owns three cafes, a bakery and a roastery. She was kind enough to share the following greetings and memories from her time with Ladro:

Thank you Caffe Ladro! You were formative for me, to say the least. Our Ladro family was special because YOU made it special. My shops in Mt Airy Philadelphia are tiny little Caffe Ladro time capsules. I know in the coffee Mecca you can’t stay your old self, but I loved our old selves. From Foam Charts and Foam Balls to Jam & Ching & “HOT CHOWDER”. Milk Stones and even the occasional “D’Angelo Flop” (though I’m the only who calls it that), 25 years later I still think, “what would Jack & Bob do?” The home you made is one I strive every day to provide for my staff. I love you and I miss you! Thanks for everything!

Deming Maclise is a Seattle restaurateur. He and his business partner, James Weimann, have built: Bastille, Poquitos, Macloed’s Scottish Pub, and Rein Haus to name a few. A fun piece of history is that while building Weimann was building Pesos in Lower Queen Anne, Maclise made Weimann coffee at Ladro. That sparked a friendship, and later a partnership.

Frank Lawrence and Jeff Howell are partners at Counterbalance Brewing Company in the Georgetown neighborhood. Their tag line is: Serving Creativity and Contradiction since 2015. If you love a great beer and even better people, they are excellent at their craft! They host a variety of great food trucks and events from yoga to cribbage.

Maxwell Mooney is the owner of Narrative Coffee in Everett, Washington. Narrative promises to serve you in a way that is hospitable, friendly, non-judgmental, and encouraging. They promise to make your drink to the best of our abilities. And to make coffee fun again. They’re definitely into that.

Dismas Smith is a Master Roaster at Mukilteo Coffee Company in Langley, Washington. MCC is located on beautiful Whidbey Island. Dismas shares his beautiful ferry commute, and his love of coffee on Instagram.

Jared Linzmeier is the owner of Ruby Roasters in Wisconsin. He and his wife are in the process of opening a cafe in Stevens Point.

Laila Ghambari is Director of Education and Training Operations at Stumptown Coffee Roasters.

Mike Easton is the owner and chef at Il Corvo in Pioneer Square. If you’re looking for fresh pasta, Il Corvo is your lunch spot. The line tells you everything you need to know. He and his wife are also building Il Nido in West Seattle.

Sheree Gibson is Director of Operations at Seattle Coffee Works. Sheree’s passion for coffee has her improving cafes, managing their roasting program and taking Q-grader classes.

Cameron Moores was one of the original Ladro Elves. She and her husband own and operate C&P Coffee in West Seattle.

Melanie Bonnano worked at Upper Ladro and fondly remembers her night bakes. She now works for a school district as a counseling administrator.

Whitney James is a Jazz Singer. The Seattle Weekly shared, “Whitney James ain’t your typical thin-voiced, self-obsessed pseudo-diva. She’s got a spine-tingling presence. . .” You can find her work here.

Jeremy Charrbonneau is a graphic designer with great a portfolio we think you’d enjoy perusing! Just give his name a Google!

Jamie Irene manages Bateau which was recognized with a James Beard nomination for Outstanding Chef in 2018.

Samantha Spillman worked at Ladro while in college and after. She is now Director of Education for Dillanos Coffee Roasters, and she recently won the U.S. Barista Championship! Sprudge offers a nice interview with Sam about how she came to coffee and the drinks she made for the competition.

Ellie Partington spent five years with Ladro and managed a couple of different locations. She is now with Tesla. She shared the following with us for our anniversary:

Congratulations for 25 years Caffe Ladro!

In the 5 years I spent at Ladro, I met some of the most influential people in my life, and made some truly amazing friends. Ladro brings together a community of incredible people, and it is a community that is enhanced by excellent coffee.

Thank you for the wonderful friends, and here’s to 25 more years!

Michael Mendoza served as barista and then educator for Caffe Ladro. He is now works in Education and Training at Caffe Vita in Seattle.

Summer Weilder worked as a barista and as a manager. She is now a Training Coordinator at Impinj in Seattle.