By
Susana Kim
Jan. 4,
2013
Actor
Patrick Dempsey's $9.15 million bid for Seattle-based Tully's Coffee beat that
of industry leader Starbucks, Tully's confirmed Thursday morning.
Dempsey
is a member of Global Baristas, the investment group that includes the
"Grey's Anatomy" star.
On Thursday
night, Dempsey, whose fans call him "McDreamy," tweeted: "We met
the green monster, looked her in the eye, and...SHE BLINKED! We got it! Thank
you Seattle!"
A
private auction process on Thursday included competitors Starbucks, also based
in Seattle, and Baristas Coffee, which operates a chain of drive-thru espresso
stands with female employees in revealing clothing.
Dempsey
had previously said he hoped to save Tully's 500 workers from unemployment. He
said the success of "Grey's Anatomy," which is set in Seattle but
filmed in Los Angeles, has created a "fondness" for the Seattle
community.
"I
think some of the players involved in this deal want to take those jobs away,
and you're looking at an economy that's rough to get jobs,"Dempsey told
ABC's KOMO-TV in Seattle. "I went by one of the stores yesterday and the
employees are deeply concerned. That's one thing we care deeply about."
His
publicist didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
A
spokesman for Starbucks told the
Associated Press the coffee giant
offered to buy 13 of Tully's company-owned stores in the area of Puget Sound
plus 12 locations within Boeing Co. offices.
Ever-growing
Starbucks announced on Thursday that it is moving beyond its 3,300 stores in 12
countries and will open its first store in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in
February.
In
November, Starbucks announced
that it acquired tea retailer, Teavana, which has 300 mall-based stores, for
$620 million. Teavana CEO and co-founder Andrew Mack said the company will
continue to operate from its headquarters in Atlanta.
Tully's
filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Oct. 10 and closed 19 locations.
The company operates 47 company-owned stores in Washington and California and
has franchisees and grocery chain coffee shops in the U.S. and Asia.
"We
are very encouraged and excited that Patrick Dempsey's commitment to Tully's,
to the company, the stores and perhaps most importantly, in keeping the members
of Tully's family in place as they are today," Scott Pearson, CEO and
President of TC Global, Inc., said in a statement. "This is a big win for
Seattle."
The
sale is expected to be finalized on Jan. 11 at a hearing in Seattle.
Tully's
said the sale of TC Global Inc. "does not impact" the wholesale and
online Tully's Coffee business and brand, which were purchased by Green
Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. in 2009.