Owner Zaiquiri describes the shutdown situation as a bureaucratic mess:
Today I was visited by a health investigator from King County, and we walked through my carts operations. Common Cart’s product lineup was designed to be time and temperature control safe, so it did not require health permits from King County. Last September when I was writing up my business plan, I spoke with the health department and ensured my products fell under the exemption given their acidity and caffeine’s ability to avoid bacterial growth. Sadly, a new set of investigators have informed me I was misinformed in the past and both cold brew and adding anything to a drink is not permitted with my current equipment.
Zaiquiri says the hope is to possibly reopen Common Cart with a limited menu at the station in the near future but, for now, the business owner is remaining closed to sort things out.
CHS talked with Zaiquiri earlier this year about Common Cart’s chance part in new Sound Transit efforts to “bring more benefits to our riders” at the light rail system’s stations.
” Sound Transit’s bureaucracy is one thing to navigate,” we reported in March. “Sorting out limitations and restrictions with the health department comes at an even higher level of restrictions and occasional disappointments.”
Now the disappointments have outweighed the joys at Common Cart.
Meanwhile, the Common Cart closure marks the second plucky Capitol Hill food and drink upstart recently brought to a sudden halt by the health department. CHS reported here on the abrupt shutdown of Afghan pop-up Bolani Place on 15th Ave E inside LoveCityLove over facility and permit issues.
The shutdowns come amid a wider crackdown by Seattle-King County Public Health as health inspectors have increased focus on un-permitted food and drink vendors who proliferate around the Pike/Pine nightlife district and on busy corners across the city.
Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you. Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for $5 a month — or choose your level of support 
