In Late March, Dollhouse Espresso opened its bikini coffee stand at 1133 SE 82nd Avenue and has served caffeinated drinks to drive-through customers every day since. Owner Jessica Cody bought the cart with donations from supporters interested in seeing a woman-owned stand that would create a safe space for the people working there. Although barista attire is a theme of the cart, Cody and her staff strive to deliver well-made coffee, tasty food, and friendly service for all customers.
Jessica Cody has worked as a dancer and bartender for several years. She continues to do that work to help support this new business, some days working from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. the next day. However, it was her work abroad that gave her a true passion for coffee service. “I used to live in Australia before the pandemic on a working visa. I lived there for about two years, and I managed a really great coffee shop in Perth. That’s where I learned how to make good, authentic coffee,” Cody recalled. That experience and an Australian influence shape some of the drinks on the menu. “I’m bringing a little bit of my experience there, out here, with the style of coffee that I make,” said Cody. “I have normal coffee, and I also do things like Aussie iced coffee, which is iced coffee with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. That’s a staple drink in Australia.”
The Aussie iced coffee is not the only sweet thing on the menu. “I also have real cotton candy and cool candies, different things to make our drinks a unique and cool experience. It’s a lot of fun,” said Cody. The shop also offers traditional breakfast items, including muffins and a French toast breakfast sandwich. On the savory side, Dollhouse Espresso can sell guests egg and cheese, ham and cheese, or sausage breakfast sandwiches. Cody is particularly proud of their feta cheese and spinach brioche wraps. Because of the limited space and a need for fast service, all food is prepared by a partner kitchen in Washington State and heated to serve in the stand on SE 82nd Avenue.
Bikini coffee has a varied history in the Pacific Northwest, and Jessica Cody was an early employee in that industry before moving to Australia. Through that tumultuous experience, she developed her idea for a respectful woman-run business. “I had a very bad experience working at a bikini coffee stand when I first did it years ago. It was called Dream Girls,” recalled Cody. The former owner of Dream Girls now faces charges of sexual abuse and rape, along with other crimes reportedly committed against some of his employees. Cody felt Dollhouse Espresso was an opportunity to come back to bikini coffee from that experience and create a safe place for this type of service. Many of the people working there are her friends, and she operates the stand similar to an employee-run shop.
Part of Cody’s vision for Dollhouse Espresso is to make people feel respected inside and outside the cart. “I feel like we are friendly and welcoming enough for everybody, any part of the community. I try to hire women of all different shapes, sizes, and colors,” said Cody. The organization is LGBTQ-friendly, and Cody says families come through often. “I try to make it exciting for everybody,” explained Cody.
The path to opening this new business has not been without issues and false starts. Dollhouse Espresso opened last year in Vancouver, Washington, operating for just three months. Cody said the landlord raised the rent on her with little notice and caused property damage when she did not pay the increase. In 2024, she had to relocate and regroup. Having lived in the Montavilla during her youth and working in some nearby businesses, this location on SE 82nd felt appropriate for the stand’s long-term home. “The demographics seem great for what I’m trying to do here, especially for girls being in bikinis,” said Cody. So far, customers are responding well to the new location, and Dollhouse Espresso is seeing consistent business. Expanding to more areas is not out of the question for Cody. However, she will focus on building this location into its best version before considering taking on more work.
The shop is currently open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, but Cody is considering plans to start opening early at 5 a.m. on Monday through Saturday in the near future. The stand can support two drive-through windows, and Cody hopes to reconfigure the cart’s placement to open up that second window. Walk-ups and bicyclists are welcome, but the staff recommends drive-through visits for the safest experience because the stand is in a parking lot.
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