Topless coffee shop burns down; official says it was arson

Source: CNN,com

In the end, a coffee shop in Vassalboro, Maine, that gained national attention for its topless waiters and waitresses simply proved too hot -- the Grand View Topless Coffee Shop burned to the ground early Wednesday morning.

The blaze consumed the risque, small-town business shortly after midnight, said Vassalboro Fire Chief Eric Rowe. He described the flames as "severe" and said the building was a "total loss."

For Crabtree the coffee shop literally was home. He and his two daughters, their two boyfriends, and his two infant grandchildren lived in quarters attached to the Grand View. The fire forced them to relocate to a motel.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/03/topless.shop.fire/index.html

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More conservative terrorism?

Makes you wonder if the Tiller murder unleashed someone's hate. Don't know that I'd personally patronize a topless coffee shop (or any coffee shop, grew up on church basement coffee, I'm fine with gas station coffee) but why would some one do this? If you had issues with the establishement, there's a simple solution, Don't go there!

Walking in the path of righteousness means dynamiting all the other paths.

It would fit the hypocritic oaths they utter in church every day...

I wonder what they'd do if God told them they can't come in to heaven if they want to "keep their guns" there!

And wishing it well.

Geez, what low-paid, predominately female-dominated crap job is next? :sarcasm:

We should make a law that prevents them from making choices like that...

who worked there never had a choice.

:evilgrin:

Now hiring managers :)

http://www.twinpeaksrestaurant.com/

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

Fucking idiots.

"In the end, a coffee shop in Vassalboro, Maine, that gained national attention for its topless waiters and waitresses simply proved too hot."

mikey_the_rat

someone needs a NAP...

I don't have any opinion about CNN's attempt at humor. I merely pointed out their lame arson joke. Perhaps you meant to reply to the person just upthread of your original remark?

mikey_the_rat

Wonder how buisness was?
:donut:

A Topless coffee shop in Maine?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOjeK1Q_D14&feature=related
well, never mind

The article states the coffee shop owner did not have insurance on the building. I take it this means he's a man of somewhat substantial means and owned it outright, since I assume he would be required to carry insurance if it was mortgaged. If so then he'll just rebuild bigger and better. Between the publicity generated by the original news stories and this he should be able to recoup his expenses in no time. :dilemma: The alternative explanation, of course, is that he's some kind of idiot for not insuring his investment against this type of loss. If that's the case, then I say fuck him -- I still hope the arsonist is found and has to pay for his/her crime but this business owner deserves to be shutdown, one way or another. I'm sure CNN will keep us updated. After all, this was a place where women showed their boobs. What could possible be more newsworthy than that? :sarcasm:

(I assume the sarcasm tag was not for this part of your comment)

that possibly the business owner was stupid not to have insurance on the coffee shop in case of it burning down, and deserves to be shut down for that alone.

Another alternative is that the business owner just couldn't afford the insurance (even though the building was owned) and decided to risk it.

The 'logic' of some people at DU is very interesting.

companies he can probably afford three buildings.

not well done!

My goodness what a name.

1) The owner burned it down for the insurance. However, it's possible that he didn't have insurance, as reported here.

2) Maybe it could be some rabid fanatic, which seems to be the preferred choice here. OR...

3) Perhaps the organized crime family that runs the area didn't get its protection money, or perhaps the doughnut shop was infringing on that family's exclusive right to run nude entertainment in that area.

I personally like #3. I know it's shocking to people on DU, but organized crime essentially runs sex industries. It isn't run by hippy-dippy love types who simply want to share the joy of sexuality. It's run by many large men named Guido who enjoy leg-breaking, and who don't like amateurs getting involved in the family business - that is, amateurs who aren't low-paid actors in their "amateur" videos.

Have you ever been to Maine?? Rhode Island, sure, Boston, definitely. Maine? I don't think so.

I can also point out that organized crime has not been dominated by Italians since the mid-1960's. There are gangs of every ethnicity, and even of mixed ethnicity.

Also, consider what Maine is. A coastal town. In my state, there's Key West, where people put up false port lights so ships would run aground and pirates would raid them. Maine's been around for a lot longer; their organized crime, like in the rest of the US, is well situated with the establishment.

I wouldn't put it past a local "combination" (to use the old term) to burn down Nipple's Donuts or whatever the place was called, if protection wasn't paid or they were warned to stop cutting in on the attendance at the Sagging Mammaries Men's Club.

The Mob can't compete with BFEE and tribe.

But I live in Seattle, not Maine.

I'm still going to bet it's #2 though. It's sort of like how most abortion doctors aren't killed by the mob.

None. Nada. At most some of them sell weed on the side.

#2 is my bet. Arson is popular up here.

I don't care how hot the coffee is. And think of the workplace safety issues!

and one of the 1st 2 people I knew before moving here is from Vassalboro.

We're talking very rural, very stuck in the 50s (if that), very Kristian Konservative people with inbred-looking, homeschooled kids. And Kristian schools on every corner for the better off. Minimum wage is considered a "good job" here, and 15% of the population was on food stamps *before* the recession hit. There are still plenty of Palin bumper stickers around.

The only reason unemployment up here is only 8 1/2% is because most of the population never had a job, and probably don't even show up on census. Think Northern Exposure, without any of the quirky charm, but a *lot* of outright stooopid.

I'd bet insurance money. Even if they *don't* have insurance that one wouldn't surprise me.

Either that, or morbidly obese, furry and toothless wives pissed of at their morbidly obese, furry and toothless men for hanging out at the coffee shop staring at frozen, goosebumpy, half-nekkid wymens, with the bottom half wrapped in moose skin and antlers on their heads, instead of bein' off hunting for moose for dinner.

Why don't you just move instead of insulting all of your neighbors. You seem very bitter and sad.

If Maine is so bad, why do you choose to live there? My cousin has a ski house up there, but I haven't been in Maine in years.

Where the hell are you???

You can't get much more rural than where I live and you certainly haven't described the locals around here.

Sees what he wants to see.

Thinks anybody who hunts and doesn't wear Gucci is straight out of deliverance.

A lot of posts on DU condemned the business as being exploitive and demeaning.

Contrast that with posts on similar topics on FR and you'd find the pervs on FR were generally supportive of woman choosing to display their assets.

Wow. Tone down the fake feminism folks. Did you know, I know big shock here, that some women might actually *WANT* this sort of job. Hell, if I was good looking enough, I sure as hell would do it. Sounds fun as hell - I just don't have the assets.

I'm sure the owner, who might I add was *living* in this building himself, was holding a gun to these girls heads. I mean WHY ELSE would they take the job? Right?

Wow. Maybe it was a leftist that burned it down. Seriously. So many better uses of vitriol than this. :argh:

Some residents were really incensed when this place was first proposed. I saw a story on this that said he had just proposed changes to make it more like a strip club or something. Secondhand hearsay, though.

The owner had just been before the town looking to expand into a strip club. I heard on the local news this morning that if he rebuilds just as it was he'll be grandfathered and the coffee shop can continue. But if he expands it or alters it in any way he'll have to reapply for his license.

And I wouldn't assume that the arsonist was a right winger. From what I've heard, they're quite happy with naked breasts. It's same same marriage that has them riled.

indicates that there's a signficant population of right-wingers that have no problem with the concept of women flaunting their stuff.

Again, when comparing earlier threads on DU and FR about this or a similar coffee shop it was the DU'ers who were more outraged over the concept than the FReeps.

Could be leftist terrorism since it was directed at property rather than people.

people lost jobs, and whether or not you agree with the type of employment doesn't really matter.

I like the idea of an equal-opportunity topless establishment.

:bounce:

;-)

It was, after all, a topless coffee and doughnut shop.

(I greatly appreciate our nations law enforcement, but I still have to give 'em a tickle every once in awhile like I try to do for everyone else.)

Way too many religious or other me/mine first groups are trying to impose their will on others.

When two or more adults agree to do something that is not about killing or stealing
people] or any other obviously illegal activity, I say leave them alone.

It's very hard to make a living in Maine. In '06' the seven day a week housekeeper at my

hotel had two other jobs just to make ends meet. Prices for food, fuel and booze are high. wages are

low. And jobs are not plentiful.

For the Sherry Perrys of this world to rejoice over arson... well thats just sick and so wrong.

Our constitution says justice for all.

no one is forced into activities they don't want, but they should not deny others the right to do what

'they' feel is right

but it burned the day before DAMMMITT!!!. I wanted to say i went to the Topless Coffee shop and still payed less then Starbucks. I did get pictures of the sign and burned remains however.

Seriously we are talking about a town of maybe 2500 folks. The owner was petitioning for a full nude license/strip license of some kind and it was graduation time.

My guess is some dad decided to burn the place down in fear of a daughter going to work there after graduation or something. They found the gas cans out back...we ain't talking professional job here.

Of course the minute I get back to TN he reopens in a tent. SONOFA!!!!!