By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
Last Saturday, Boon Boona Coffee celebrated the grand opening of its newest café, located at the edge of Pike Place Market and overlooking the renovated Seattle waterfront and Puget Sound. The event brought together friends, family, community members, city leaders and Seattle sports figures in a vibrant gathering that reflected the heart of Boon Boona’s journey.
Founder and CEO Efrem Fesaha stood at the center of the celebration, humbled and energized by what the moment represented.
“I’m just really grateful, and really excited,” said Fesaha. “The support to get us to this place, it’s not an individual journey. It’s a community that’s gotten us here, and I’m just really excited to celebrate here at Overlook Walk.”
Born out of Fesaha’s deep roots in Eritrean culture and a return visit to his homeland, Boon Boona offers a relaxing experience grounded in hospitality and daily reflection. For Fesaha, Boon Boona is not about drinking high-quality and carefully sourced coffee. It is a daily pause and a chance to gather with friends and family.
From its original location in Renton to this new high-profile space, Boon Boona has continued to grow while remaining deeply connected to its cultural and community mission. The Pike Place café is its most visible yet, positioned atop the city’s Overlook Walk, a pedestrian connection between Pike Place Market and the waterfront.
“Honestly, it’s just really an exciting moment,” said Fesaha. “Now we’ve got friends and family, folks that have been on this journey with us, being here for the first time and seeing it. Just experiencing this, I can’t ask for more. It feels warm and joyous. So that’s it. Yeah, it’s great.”
Seattle City Councilmember Robert Kettle attended the event and spoke to the larger meaning of Boon Boona’s expansion.
“This grand opening, to have Boon Boona here, is so important,” said Kettle. “Because this is about bringing small business and what Boon Boona is, an international gem, aligned with the vision of building up Seattle’s business community. This is a cornerstone of what we’re doing in our city, in terms of moving forward.”
Kettle also said the location carries powerful symbolism.
“By doing it here, it puts it on the biggest showcase,” said Kettle. “The Overlook Walk is the viewpoint for our city. It is the viewpoint into the world. The water, the mountains, it is just a fantastic opportunity.”
Seattle Seahawks legend Doug Baldwin was also present and offered a reflection on how the journey of Boon Boona defies narrow labels.
“First and foremost, I want to make sure that we identify what we mean by ‘small business,’ because every business starts off as a small business,” said Baldwin. “Boon Boona has had extreme, and to some degree, expected and unexpected success. But what I believe is the strength of Boon Boona is the understanding of the power of teamwork. Efrem understands that it is not just him.”
“It is a team behind him,” said Baldwin. “And especially in this day and age, and I would say in all of human history, humans have always wanted community. To be able to build a business that is growing and still rooted in that idea, that is a powerful trait.”
Among the supporters celebrating the opening was Thomas Goldstein, a business consultant who has worked closely with Boon Boona and other ventures across the city. Goldstein said the café represents more than just a commercial success.
“As a longtime Seattle person, I think Boon Boona is a magnet for the best in each of us,” said Goldstein. “It is not just, I love coffee as something deep in my soul, but the way it is done at Boon Boona, it is through community. Not only the people who come and go to the shops, but the whole environment. It is this spectacular, inviting, expansive reality.”
Goldstein also said the brand reflects a strong entrepreneurial drive.
“There is an entrepreneurial spirit that is forward-looking in this space,” said Goldstein. “And I think it is a celebration of what we love in Seattle, which is gritty resilience.”
With stunning views, strong roots and a community behind every cup, Boon Boona’s new location marks a continuation of a story shaped by tradition, driven by vision and held together by people who believe in something bigger than coffee.
