Do you love good coffee and ghost stories? You have to visit Ghost Alley Espresso.
Pike Place Market is packed with vendors, shops, and eateries. You can’t possibly visit them all in one trip. There’s always more to discover at the market, which is why even Seattle locals love to frequent this tourist hot spot. One Pike Place Market hidden treasure that we love is Ghost Alley Espresso.
Ghost Alley Espresso is a tucked-away coffee shop underneath Pike Place Market. As you may suspect from the name, it has a creepy past that lingers in the shop to this day.
Read on for the spooky details!
The first thing you need to know about Ghost Alley Espresso is its location. You’ll find it by going beneath Pike Place Market, below where they throw the fish (if you hit the Gum Wall, you’ve gone too far). Built inside what used to be a men’s restroom all the way back in 1908, it’s no wonder that the owner believed it to be haunted.
The former owner, Mercedes Carrabba, explains on the Ghost Alley Espresso website:
“When I opened Ghost Alley Espresso in 2012 it was immediately apparent that something or someone was present there. On the east wall of the shop I used wire as well as nails to secure things to the walls, wrapping the wire both around the nail and any painting or fixture I put up, because things would fall or even fly off the nails. Electronics proved problematic and still do today. The Ipad, register and even espresso equipment would behave in ways as though someone unseen was interacting with them. Things fell, very well secured things fell. Even today the shop is routinely cleansed with sage and mediums are brought in to talk to the spirits.”
Carrabba theorized that the main ghost of the coffee shop is Arthur Goodwin, one of Pike Place Market’s first managers and a designer of the buildings, who had his office nearby.
It is currently only open for takeaway orders, but you’ll still be able to enjoy its rich history and spine-chilling vibes in addition to delicious coffee. They have a lot of fun merch that you can purchase as well, including “Seattle’s Market Ghost Stories,” a book that covers all the haunted history of Pike Place Market.
Feeling brave? Find the haunted coffee shop’s hours and location below!
Ghost Alley Espresso
Location: 1499 Post Alley, Pike Place Market
Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily (they close at 2:00 p.m. Tuesdays)