After More Than 30 Years, Santa Fe Cafe Is Closing on New Year's Day

After 33 years, Santa Fe Cafe is shuttering on Phinney Ave. According to a staff member, the landlord is not renewing the longtime restaurant's lease.

Santa Fe Cafe was launched in 1981 by brothers Steve and Greg Gibbons in a former tavern on Ravenna Ave. The Gibbons opened a second location near the zoo on Phinney Ave. later that decade and shuttered the original outpost. The cafe was sold to Drew Bloom, who began working in the kitchen as a dishwasher in 1985 and stayed on staff for more than 25 years before taking over the keys, in 2008.

Bloom broke the news via Facebook:

Dear Friends of The Santa Fe Cafe,

Due to mitigating circumstances, I've reached the decision that The Santa Fe Cafe will be closing its doors January 1, 2015. This was obviously a tough decision and one that was not taken lightly.

I want to thank all of you for three decades of loyal devotion. The last seven years of my life as owner has been the highest honor I've ever had. I would like to see as many of you as possible in the next month and I'm feeling good about the future.

Any of you who are in possession of gift certificates, please redeem them by the end of the year.

I will be looking for work (after some time off!) so if any of you have your ear to the ground or know of somewhere where my talents could be utilized, I would love to hear from you.

Thanks again to the greatest clientele in the City of Seattle.

Drew

The cafe's last day of business in New Year's Eve.