Yes, the bikini barista trend that’s employing scantily clad cuties at coffee shops all over the Pacific Northwest has attracted the attention of NPR, complete with the ambient sounds of slurping and ogling patrons. An excerpt:

In the Seattle area, espresso huts are about as numerous as mile markers. Some coffee shops are trying to get a leg up on the competition by taking the sexy route — and numbers-wise, it seems to working. Baristas in spike heels, lingerie, fish nets and other skin-revealing attire are attracting long lines — and large tips…

“We stimulate the sexual imagination to drive our coffee sales. And it’s proven to be a successful combination,” says Steve McDaniel, who owns Java Girls, a chain of 16 espresso stands throughout the Seattle area. “It allows me to compete in a highly competitive marketplace and support my family and put food on the table.”

A former casino manager, he says he’s owned other coffee shops before, but couldn’t compete.

“Sex has sold since the beginning of time. It’s gonna continue to sell until the end of time,” he says. And he’s banking on this being true all over the world; he recently copyrighted Java Girls in nearly 30 countries…

Lauren Alison, who works at Chicka Latte, a similar sort of enterprise, says she understands that her business isn’t for everyone. But if people don’t approve, they should simply stay away … “It’s not supposed to be skanky, or trashy or anything terrible,” she says. “It’s not supposed to be hurting anybody. It’s just supposed to be fun.”

Listen to the segment here

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Filed under: Bikini Baristas, Bikini News