Who Burned Down the Grand View Topless Coffee Shop?

June 12, 2009

When Donald Crabtree, the shop's owner, opened the topless, over-18 establishment about four months ago in the small Maine town of Vassalboro, population about 4,500, at least 150 people applied for the 10 positions that were available.  After it had been converted from a former motel into the Grand View Topless Coffee Shop it had become a place, reporters and townsfolk quipped, where cup size did make a difference.  Apparently the fact that topless waitresses served coffee and doughnuts between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. raised the ire of many of the town's residents, even though the establishment adhered to the local ordinances.  One of those outraged citizens, police believe, burned down the coffee shop while Crabtree, two of his daughters and their boyfriends, along with two small children, slept in rooms adjacent to the Grand View.  All of them managed to escape unharmed from the 1 a.m. blaze, and are now living in a motel.  The fire apparently was started after Crabtree appeared before the Vassalboro Planning Board to discuss the possibility of extending the coffee shop's hours to 1 a.m., adding live music and expanding the shop's parking lot.

According to Vassalboro Fire Chief Eric Rowe, the fire had been "severe" and had caused a "total loss" to the building.  Evidence of the arson was found at the scene and has been sent to the state police crime lab for analysis, according to Stephen McCausland, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety.  Crabtree said that neither the building nor the business had been insured.  He described the employees as being "in shock."

"I really liked it here," one of the topless waitresses said.  "We weren't hurting anyone.  I don't know why someone would do something like this…this was a good, innocent business…every worker was just trying to take care of themselves and make a living, just trying to live like everybody else."

Although the loss of the shop by fire had shocked and had been cause for concern among many of the citizens, a restaurant owner in town expressed concern about the safety of Crabtree, his family, and employees.

"Personally, I'd prefer not to have one in town because of the trouble I think it would bring," the restaurant owner said.  "But I don't live in a glass house, so I won't throw any stones."

Crabtree, who described his business as "home" to a number of people, had been doing a very brisk business after it opened.

"It's just been crowds mobbing in," he said.  "This place was made to put smiles on people's faces."

Crabtree said that despite not having any insurance, he planned to raise the money needed to rebuild and reopen the shop.

"I'll keep going," he said.  "I've got some girls out of work, and I'm going to do all I can."

Among the plans on the table for raising the money to reopen:  a tent on the premises where coffee and doughnuts will be served and donations accepted.  In the meantime, the loss will adversely affect not only Crabtree and his employees, but those who made the doughnuts and other pastries, as well as coffee bean growers in Central and South America and, of course, the loss of taxes that would have been injected into the community as a result of the Grand View's many customers.

Photo Credit: Associated Press: Firefighters look over the ruins of the Grand View Topless Coffee Shop Wednesday, June 3, 2009 in Vassalboro, Maine. The coffee shop went up in flames just hours after the owner went to the town's planning board to discuss expanding the business."

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Comments

[ICORP Investigations, Inc.]

I can't believe there was a topless coffee shop in Vassalboro. I lived in Bangor for awhile which is about 30 minutes from there. There is ZERO going on in and around that town. I'm sure the truckers that drive on Interstate 95 and the seasonal hunters were its main customers. Doesn't shock me that someone burned it down. I'm headed up there to visit a friend in July, I'm definitely going to check it out.

[Gary C. King]

I am familiar with that area of Maine as well and I, too, am not surprised that a topless coffee shop ruffled the feathers of the locals. Please fill us in after you get back from your trip in July.