Help Ravenna Varsity Close with Dignity

Help us send the Seattle staple Ravenna Varsity Restaurant off with Dignity

Dear friends, neighbors, and longtime patrons,

Its with a heavy and broken heart that Sandy and I, her son Bryan, must announce that after 60+ wonderful years flipping pancakes and filling coffee cups on the corner of NE 65th St the Ravenna Varsity Restaurant must close its doors Sunday, August 3rd 2025. New lease negotiations fell through, the landlord rejected any potential buyers we put in front of them in hopes to keep the business you know and love running, so now we’re facing the hard costs of closing down this longstanding family business.

Unfortunately shutting down isn't as easy as turning off the griddle, due to closing costs that range from:

Outstanding debt from pandemic losses, rising food prices, city surcharges.

Supplier contracts & service agreements that carry steep early‑termination fees

Employee severance & final payroll for the staff who kept the coffee hot and the smiles warm

We’re asking for $50,000 to cover the bare‑minimum bills that stand between our family and bankruptcy.

Why This Matters

For six decades our family and staff at Ravenna Varsity has been serving as Seattle’s neighborhood breakfast table — the spot for family meals, first jobs, study‑cram hash browns , and endless coffee cup fillings. You made us more than a diner; you made us a community landmark, and for that we will be forever truly grateful. To us running The Varsity has never been about making big profit or perfecting the ultimate dish, its been about the customers and the connections we've made to you and your families while serving a quality home-style meal. Every person who walks through our doors whether you be a monthly drop in or a daily regular you've all become truly like family and it devastates us to see these connections fall prey to these unforeseen circumstances. We will miss each and everyone of you dearly.

How You Can Help

Donate whatever you can — even $5 helps immensely.

Share this campaign with your friends and family, especially former Seattle locals who miss our famous cinnamon buns.

Tell a Varsity memory here or on any of our socials. We appreciate any and all well wishes and classic stories.

Come in for final hug or hot cup of coffee.

Closing is incredibly bittersweet, but with your help we can finish with tears in our eyes but our heads held high, pay our people, and settle our debts without losing everything our family and crew built.

With gratitude (and syrup on our sleeves),

Sandy, Bryan, the entire Pelkey Family & the Ravenna Varsity Team

"The doors may shut, but the connections and community we built will last a lifetime"