Controversial Bikini Coffee Company opens in Portland

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Controversial Bikini Coffee Company opens in Portland

05:53 PM PDT on Wednesday, July 30, 2008

By FRANK MUNGEAM, Kgw.com Staff

If it sells in Salem, maybe it will perk up Portland.

At least that's what the owners of Bikini Coffee Company are hoping. The first Portland location opened Wednesday morning in downtown to enthusiastic customers.

Video: Bikini Coffee opens in PDX

Bikini Coffee opens in PDX

Raw: Customers line up

The Salem-based company best known for outfitting its baristas in bikinis opened a new location in Portland on Wednesday.

In May 2007, KGW first reported how Adam Marshall and Steven Rotan used the bikini baristas idea to give their Salem Coffee Nation drive-through stand a jolt.

"We wanted to do something fun and different," Rotan said. "It's creative and something new for people to look at."

Video: Bikini Coffee a hit in Salem

The marketing strategy worked, as sales increased $1000 a day. They added a second Salem location, and will open in early July in Portland.

Bikini Coffee Company opened in the former Caplan Sports World location at 520 SW 5th Ave.

VIDEO: Bikini baristas cause stir in Tacoma