04989 Travel Guide

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Maine's Topless Coffee Shop Reopens as Topless Tent

Where: 1494 North Belfast Avenue [map], Vassalboro, ME, United States, 04989
June 12, 2009 at 10:02 AM | by | Comments (2)

We've got good news for New England travelers who like their caffeine fix but hate it when their servers wear shirts. Turns out the nation's oddest Starbucks Alternative is down, but far from out.

The Grand View Coffee Shop, which was burned to the ground by a moral crusader last week, has already reopened. Owner Donald Crabtree erected a tent on the site of his destroyed cafe, and the topless waitresses have volunteered to work just for tips (to be fair, we'd bet they get better tips than your local Starbucks barista).

Topless Coffee one; moral crusaders zero.

Related Stories:
· Arsonist Destroys Maine's Topless Coffee Shop [Jaunted]
· Maine Opens Topless Coffee Shop; Hopefully With Frost Bite Insurance [Jaunted]
· Burned topless coffee shop reopens in a tent [Jaunted]

[Photo: AP]

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Arsonist Destroys Maine's Topless Coffee Shop

Where: 1494 North Belfast Avenue [map], Vassalboro, ME, United States, 04989
June 4, 2009 at 4:17 PM | by | Comments (2)

Earlier this year we told you about what we thought was a pretty fantastic moment in the history of coffee shops. Grand View Topless Coffee Shop opened its doors in Vassalboro, Maine. As far as we know, Grand View was the only place in the country where you could order a cappuccino and crueller and have it served by a topless waiter or waitress.

An ingenious business plan if you ask us, but unfortunately, not all of Grand View's neighbors were so enamored. A fire destroyed the coffee shop early Wednesday morning, and police say it was set by an arsonist. The fire came just a few hours after the shop's owner, Donald Crabtree, had appeared before the local planning board to defend his operation, and followed several complaints about Grand View.

Undeterred, Crabtree vows to reopen his business, but for now, the nation has lost its most unique Starbucks alternative.

Related Stories:
· Topless coffee shop destroyed in arson fire [Boston Globe]
· Maine Opens Topless Coffee Shop; Hopefully With Frost Bite Insurance [Jaunted]
· Maine travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Boston Globe/AP]

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Maine Opens Topless Coffee Shop; Hopefully With Frost Bite Insurance

Where: 1494 North Belfast Avenue [map], Vassalboro, ME, United States, 04989
February 25, 2009 at 9:14 AM | by | Comments (2)

America still clings to its Puritanical roots when it comes to individuals and their...um... birthday suits. While the French Riviera has their well-known topless beaches and Brazil loves the thong (on women and men), America can't really handle the sight of human flesh unless it's in the privacy of our own homes or in a place where money is exchanged like a strip joint. (Ah! Our the joys of our capitalist society!)

Now you can add "coffee shop" to the the list of places where Americans can witness topless action in action. Yes, where most of us are used to hearing the word "bottomless" when it comes to coffee promotions, a brand-new java joint is advertising "topless" and it's got nothing to do with coffee.

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