Editor's note: this is an update to our preliminary April 29 article, "Nellie's Coffee and Toast closed, to be replaced."

There are differing accounts to the events leading up to the closure of Nellie's Coffee and Toast, which had occupied a small space on the outside of the Lockspot Cafe for three years.

On Monday, April 22, the owners of the Lockspot, Pam Hanson and P.K. Reilly, called Nellie's Coffee owners Todd McCallister and Jeanette Meade into a meeting to discuss the end of their three-year lease.

The Lockspot owners maintain that they and Nellie's owners had differences in the negotiation and that the split-up was more or less amicable. Hanson and Reilly said they were open to keeping Nellie's onboard and were surprised that the two decided to leave early, without warning. Hanson said they found out on Thursday, April 25 that Nellie's would be moved out by Sunday, April 28.

Hanson said that prices have gone up since the beginning of their last lease and that there were a few more conditions that Lockspot wanted met.

"They decided to move on," Hanson said matter-of-factly. "... So it was like, OK, I guess we're going to be in the coffee business. It happened that fast."

McCallister and Meade have a different version of events. When asked what happened in the meeting, they said that the first thing Hanson said when they sat down was, "This isn't going to take very long."

One of the next questions, McCallister and Meade said, was, "How soon can you be out?"

"We paid rent on time every time, so it was a complete shock to us," McCallister said. Hanson confirmed that they never had a problem with the pair paying rent.

Meade said she confirmed with the Lockspot owners during the meeting that they had up to 30 days to move out. When asked why they moved out earlier than the 30 days, even though they had no immediate plans or source of income, Meade said, "Sometimes when a situation is presented, you leave as soon as possible ... if you're not wanted, you leave ASAP."

People on both sides said, however, that they don't want to make this into a "he said, she said" game.

"We just want to wish them well and move on," Reilly said.

"Todd makes an amazing cup of coffee and they will be fine wherever they land," Hanson said.

McCallister and Meade expressed similar sentiments, saying they didn't want to focus on the split-up with Lockspot. "We're just trying to figure out what the next step is," Meade said.

Indeed, everyone is looking toward the future. At the Lockspot, Hanson and Reilly quickly reopened the old Nellie's space as the Coffee Spot. In three days, they gutted the space, rewired, replumbed, repainted, bought equipment and supplies and, starting today, opened up the cafe for business.

The Coffee Spot features Ballard-based 7 Roasters Coffee, icecream from Whidbey Island Creamery and possibly more.

"We haven't stopped to think yet," Reilly said. "It's Lockspot, it's been here forever, so it'd be fun to do something in the old school theme."

At first, Hanson and Reilly said they planned to have someone else open up in the space and sell coffee. However, with the help of 7 Roasters, who have been "holding their hands all along," the pair feel confident that they can do it on their own, at least for the time being.

"We're going to give it a shot for a bit," Hanson said.

McCallister and Meade's future is a bit more mysterious at the moment. Even though this is their first break in a long time not working seven days a week, Meade said their first priority is to find a source of income again.

They said that they would like to start their own business again in a new location -- featuring the same coffee and toast that everyone has come to love -- but at the moment they are "open to any new opportunities."

In any case, they don't see themselves moving to another neighborhood.

"I would love to stay in Ballard. This is where our community is, our customers, our friends," Meade said.

"Anywhere else, we'd have to start all over," McCallister added.

Of their customers, whose support has been overwhelming for the pair, Meade said, "We miss them."

"We have some customers that we've been making coffee for every day that have followed us to every location," McCallister said. "It presents that we were part of an amazing community. ... We're honored to be accepted into that community."

"We are," Meade echoed, thoughtfully.

The Ballard News-Tribune will update readers on where McCalllister and Meade land.

Zachariah Bryan can be reached at zachb@robinsonnews.com

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