2 sales in 2 years. Popular Tri-Cities coffee shops getting new owners and new name

Tri-City Herald staff
·2 min read

The former Roasters coffee shops in the Tri-Cities, Walla Walla and Spokane have been sold for the second time in two years and soon will be renamed.

Wake Up Call Coffee of Spokane announced Monday that it is the owner and operator of the 13 Black Rock (formerly Roasters), locations.

The Oregon-based Black Rock Coffee Bar bought the chain in 2021 after the Roasters founder stepped down amid controversial statements. The iconic Tri-City brand was converted to the Black Rock brand.

Wake Up Call did not disclose the terms of the deal, but said it took over ownership and operations on May 22. The deal extends its reach to 25 coffee shops in Spokane, Coeur d’Alene — and now the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla.

Wake Up Call Coffee of Spokane is the new owner and operator of the Black Rock Coffee, formerly Roasters, shops in the Tri-Cities, Walla Walla and Spokane.
Wake Up Call Coffee of Spokane is the new owner and operator of the Black Rock Coffee, formerly Roasters, shops in the Tri-Cities, Walla Walla and Spokane.

Wake Up Call was established in 2004 and is known for the red telephone booth design incorporated into its shops. The announcement hints at a broader mission for the Black Rock/Roasters spots, which are chiefly drive-thru operations.

“Our coffee shops are more than just a lace to grab a cup of coffee. They’re a hub for the community, a place where people can come together, connect and relax. We believe that our commitment to quality and community will resonate with the people of the greater Columbia Basin just as it has in Spokane, and we can’t wait to become a part of the fabric of the community there,” Christopher Arkoosh, president, said in a prepared statement.

Wake Up Call said it will introduce new menu items and products and will convert the shops to the Wake Up Call brand, including its loyalty program.

Wake Up Call offers a variety of beverages and casts itself as a destination for treats. Its spring menu includes such items as the Blondie Mocha, made with brown sugar and shortbread, the Caramel Cookie crunch, made with cold brew, cookies, caramel and cookie dough flavors, and Blue Milk Tea, sweetened blue tea with cream.

Roasters was established by Wes Heyden in 2009 and quickly became a local coffee icon, growing to a dozen locations in the Tri-Cities, with far flung spots in Walla Walla and in Spokane’s Airway Heights area in Washington.

Heyden resigned in 2020 following controversy over comments he made regarding sex offender rights and objecting to workers wearing clothes supporting Black Lives Matter. The company was sold soon afterward.

Follow Wake Up Call at wuc.red.

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