Once Upon A Vine and Stir Crazy Celebrating 20 Years on MacArthur

by Charles McGuigan 05.2024

Twenty years ago this month, two things happened on MacArthur Avenue that changed that business strip in the heart of Bellevue forever.

Bob Kocher, who had operated Price’s Market in the Fan for many years, had toyed around with the idea of opening a beer and wine shop for some time. He considered different areas of the city, but ultimately chose Bellevue. Every Wednesday for about a month, Bob would park his car on MacArthur Avenue and walk ten blocks in every direction. He chose Wednesday because it was trash day and the recycling bins were lined up at curbside. He rooted through the discarded cans and bottles, taking notes. “I wanted to see if people were buying wines, and, if they were, what kinds of wine they were buying,” he told me years ago. “That’s how I made my decision to come over here. That was a lot of it.” 

Bob purchased the building that houses Once Upon A Vine on December 15, 2003, and started a total renovation two weeks later.  With the restoration completed, and the shelves fully stocked, Bob first opened his doors for business on May 4, 2004, and his shop was an immediate success.

“It’s been a fabulous twenty years, thanks to all of our loyal and supportive customers,” Bob told me recently. “I’m looking forward to the next twenty years.”

Four days after Once Upon A Vine opened, Stir Crazy Cafe served up its first cup of coffee. The original owner was Jerry Bistline. After nine months of arduous renovation he opened Stir Crazy, and it filled a long neglected void in Bellevue. 

Claire McGowan took over ownership of Stir Crazy Cafe on the evening of April 22, 2013. There was already the firm foundation that Jerry had laid, but she expanded the menu and repainted the interior, and later did significant enhancements, including a completely revamped counter and murals by Ed Trask.

Then in 2018, Vickie and Trey Hall purchased the business, and breathed new life into it. They beefed up the menu with dishes made from scratch that appeal to every conceivable palate, along with coffee, tea and other beverages, and baked goods. The consistency of food served there is unparalleled.  The staff is a constant, and they act and interact more like family members than coworkers. It’s always a joy to enter Stir Crazy, and be greeted by any of the employees, because even to the customers they seem like family. 

“We wanted a way for us to stand out from some of the other coffee shops in the area,” Vickie told me about a year after she and her husband took possession of Stir Crazy. “And we already do stand out because it’s like a living room, as if you’re coming home when you come in here. With the new menu we’ve made Stir Crazy stand out even more. Food has set us apart.” 

Here’s what Vickie had to say on the occasion of Stir Crazy’s twentieth anniversary: “It is amazing and humbling that this small cafe, tucked away in the heart of Bellevue, open only for breakfast and lunch, has survived and thrived for twenty years. I am so grateful to be a part of the magic that is Stir Crazy Cafe. We owe all that we are to our amazing staff and our incredible customers—the long time patrons, our newer regulars, and those who just happened upon us. We really enjoy what we do and we hope that is felt whether it’s your first time at Stir Crazy or your daily stop here. As you may have heard us say many times when you visit, ‘thank you, we appreciate you!’”

And on May 20 to celebrate twenty years of service, Stir Crazy will offer 20 percent off on everything on the menu.