Three notorious bikini barista stands in Everett finally close
Nov 19, 2014, 2:42 PM | Updated: 5:33 pm
(Photo: KIRO Radio/Chris Sullivan)
Three bikini barista stands in Everett busted over a year ago for prostitution have finally closed.
KOMO recently discovered the purple Java Juggs Espresso stands were still fully operational and serving customers more than caffeine.
But a KIRO Radio reporter saw bars on the windows and the stands were empty Wednesday. The Ron and Don Show also received an email from a listener with connections to the stands:
“I do know for a fact that they have received the notice from the city’s office yesterday and they spent the day today (Tuesday) making preparations for something, not sure what I just know that they were all in a hurry to get it done today, I also know that have closed the doors for the foreseeable future, they all got there notice that they would not longer be employed as of today.”
The stands’ owner, 52-year-old Carmela Panico, pleaded guilty in September to two felony charges, promotion of prostitution and money laundering. As part of a plea deal, she agreed to turn the “Java Juggs” and “Twin Peaks” establishments over to the city.
At the time, city spokeswoman Meghan Pembroke told KIRO Radio it did not plan to dismantle the bikini barista stands.
“It’s likely that we will end up selling all or some of them, but we really want to give those locations a clean slate. So, our goal is that they not continue in their current operation at their current locations,” Pembroke said in September.
The stands might continue to feature bikini-clad baristas, but in different locations, according to Pembroke. Or, they might stay where they are, but no longer offer any “eye candy.”
However, KOMO learned that eye candy was still being offered in November.
“We indeed are working on it and the investigation is continuing,” Everett Police Captain Bill Deckard told KOMO on Monday.