Taru: Montlake coffee shop to become family-friendly cafe with built-in playscape

A Montlake coffee shop is getting a playful makeover. The neighborhood’s Fuel Coffee is becoming Taru, a hybrid cafe concept designed to serve both parents and little ones — “Coffee for you. Rumpus time for them.”

The reimagined space is spearheaded by entrepreneur Filisha Shah. “I live in the neighborhood and have a little one of my own,” Shah said. “On rainy Seattle mornings I kept wishing for a place with good coffee where she could play. So I’m making it here.”

The transformation comes as the Fuel Coffee family was put up for sale this summer as its ownership looked to transition out the industry. The 19th Ave E Fuel has become art-focused Inkling Art & Cafe while the small chain’s Ada’s Technical Books centerpiece remains shuttered and in search of new ownership on 15th Ave E.

In Montlake, Taru hopes to continue Fuel’s level of espresso and coffee service and will continue serving Stamp Act coffee at the same corner. But major additions are on the way.

Operating from morning into evening, Taru, which in Sanskrit and Hindi translates to “tree,” will branch out with a food menu with family-friendly bites and new additions like caffeine-free beverages and bubbly.

Inspired by family cafés in Amsterdam, Taru will feature “The Grove,” a custom wooden playscape built directly into the café that offers climbing structures and open-ended play for toddlers and young children. The Grove will be scaled for children aged 1 to 5 –though older siblings are welcome.

Montlake old-timers might chuckle at the idea. The old Montlake Alehouse that used to be part of the block across the street was infamous for its “play pit” area that became a de facto play area for kids though was originally designed as some kind of post-hippie carpeted lounge area. The owner of a tavern project that took over the space in the mid 2010s called it “kiddie Thunderdome” before ripping it out.

A decade and change later, the strong kids vibes are back in Montlake where recent commercial additions include a School of Rock music education studio.

But Taru’s new home has a history that includes delighting children. The former grocery building served as the Montlake branch of the Seattle Public Library until the early 2000s.

Taru is scheduled to open in late fall at 2300 24th Ave E. Learn more at tarucoffeeandplay.com.