Java Divas has baristas in bikinis (and other outfits)
On the side of Ritchie Highway in sunny, beautiful Pasadena, there's a little gray coffee shack called Java Divas.
It's a drive-thru coffee shop with beans roasted by Caffe Pronto in Annapolis, snowballs and all-natural smoothies.
Oh, and all the baristas are young women in skimpy outfits. Seriously.
Here's my story on Java Divas, which ran in today's paper. And here's a photo gallery of three of the divas.
The whole bikini barista idea isn't anything new. Shops like Java Divas are all over the west coast, in states like Washington ...
Java Divas owner Brandy McMillion (I love that last name) saw a special on the Travel Channel and decided to open one of her own.
Java Divas opened last November, and is doing better than McMillion originally imagined. Her husband, Billl, built the little shop, and they leased the land from a gas station. The owner of the gas station said business has been up by something like 20 percent since Java Divas opened.
Of course, Java Divas has its skeptics. But McMillion hasn't gotten any complaints, and the customers I talked to were loving it. I didn't try any, but I heard the coffee's great.
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
AH HA, so now we know why you had to run back to Pasadena three times for a "story". Niiiiiiice.
Posted by: bowchikabowwow | August 2, 2010 8:45 AM
I suggest the next Midnight Sun meet-up should be at Java Divas. LOL
Posted by: Mikepcfl | August 2, 2010 9:18 AM
Please post Lindsey Krebs' schedule. I'd rather avoid the place when the other Divas are working.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 2, 2010 9:38 AM
Is this the Angel's Rock Bar farm team?
Posted by: Nick | August 2, 2010 10:33 AM
I bet the research for this one was a [female dog].
Posted by: Bridget | August 2, 2010 10:53 AM
@bowchikabowwow -- Haha I think you've got the best commenter name yet. Actually, I only went to Java Divas twice -- the first time to talk to the employees/owner, and the second to talk to the customers. The third time I went to the surrounding neighborhood to see what people thought of it.
Posted by: Sam Sessa | August 2, 2010 11:43 AM
Shrug. I've been to Chicka Latte and Espresso Gone Wild in the Seattle area, both of which seem to be doing pretty well. However, both places have excellent coffee products, which I think is a prerequisite for Java Divas as well if this is going to be more then just the latest, short lived, T&A gimmick.
Posted by: JohnM. | August 2, 2010 12:49 PM
Sam, how do you explain the five other trips you made?
I will definitely go to whatever this place is and buy whatever it is they are selling (I kind of zoned out on the details of the article).
Posted by: JTK | August 2, 2010 3:45 PM
@JTk -- One, Two, Four ...
Three, sir
Three
Posted by: Sam Sessa | August 2, 2010 4:15 PM
Awesome staff, great coffee, great prices... Keep up the great job Brandy and open more. Don't waste the opportunity to expand... If I had the money to invest I would be doing the same... ;)
Cheers!
Posted by: JoeCups | August 3, 2010 10:20 AM