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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spokane business location sheds bikinis and adds breakfast to coffee joint

Mark Sherman, co-owner of  TacoVado at 1602 N. Ash St., prepares an order on Friday for the  newly opened business. It replaces Whip It A-Latte, which featured bikini-clad baristas and closed in December. While TacoVado features breakfast items, the drive-thru still offers coffee. (Thomas Clouse / SR)

The bikini-clad baristas have left the building, but commuters can still pick up their caffeine fix at the drive-thru that recently changed owners and names from Whip It A-Latte to the new TacoVado on North Ash Street in Spokane.

While lattes and views may have topped the menu before, co-owner Mark Sherman said he hopes that commuters will stop on their busy drive into Spokane for a quick bite. The menu includes breakfast taco combinations that cost $3.50 for one or three for $10.

“We took over the store when it closed on the 29th of December,” Sherman said. “We did a two-week renovation, built the kitchen and opened TacoVado.”

And business has been brisk.

“Today has been crazy,” Sherman said before the lunch hour on Friday. “We’ve done more business in the last four hours than we did any single day since we opened. It’s been booming.”

Sherman opened the business at 1602 N. Ash St. between Augusta and Spofford avenues, with co-owner Will Lucas. Both have previous experience cooking in other restaurants.

“We were looking for a brick-and-mortar solution,” Sherman said. “But it’s hard to find a brick-and-mortar solution that worked. We went for fast, fresh food instead.”

Sherman admitted that several patrons have pulled up expecting find Whip It A-Latte. Some gave them a puzzled look and then pulled away.

“That’s been the main challenge. We’re the new thing,” Sherman said. “But we are still offering full-service coffee.”

TacoVado is open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and Saturday, he said.

The menu includes flour or corn tortillas and everything from the Breakfast Vado, which includes adovada, or simmered chunks of pork made in a sauce from dried chiles, to breakfast burritos that offer a choice of meat or avocado, eggs, beans, cheese and salsa.

Anna Carlyle, who was working with Sherman on Friday, said she recently came to work there after working at a local Starbucks.

“It’s been pretty awesome,” she said.