Dr. McDreamy, Patrick Dempsey becomes new CEO of Tully’s Coffee
It has been rumored for weeks that Patrick Dempsey, star of the long-running TV series, Grey’s Anatomy, had a deal in the works to buy the struggling Seattle-based coffee chain, Tully’s.
Dempsey plays a heart-throb doctor, Derek Shepherd, at fictional Seattle Grace Hospital on the ABC medical drama. He was dubbed “Dr. McDreamy” in the first year of the series and he has expressed no regrets that the title will most likely be a life-long label.
Glossynews.com once spoofed that President Obama asked Patrick Dempsey to replace Vice President, Joe Biden, so he could promote healthcare, since he was successful as a (fictional) doctor.
The Emmy nominated actor hooked up with an investor group called Global Baristas to put together a deal and bid on the coffee chain, which had filed for bankruptcy protection under chapter 11, in October.
Starbucks expressed interest in purchasing 47 locations across Washington and California, approximately half of Tully’s locations, but Dempsey’s group wanted them all. Most importantly, their deal would keep 500 employees from hitting the unemployment lines.
The auction took place on Thursday and the news broke early Friday after the judge accepted Dempsey’s offer of $9.15 million. There were other bids in the mix that remained anonymous.
The actor, turned coffee-chain CEO, tweeted the good news:
"We met the green monster, looked her in the eye, and . . . she blinked! We got it! Thank you Seattle!"
Dempsey briefly chatted with reporters in between meetings on Thursday and he told King5 News that he considered Seattle to be his “home away from home.”
“I'm thrilled that we won and I'm even more excited about saving Tully's Coffee and its hundreds of jobs," Dempsey said in a statement. "Tully's is a great company with committed employees, and with its base in Seattle, one of the world’s greatest cities, I'm confident we will be able to successfully build the brand and help grow the economy. Seattle has been very good to me over my career, and I am honored to have the privilege to own Tully's and work closely with the company's employees."
In addition to buying struggling coffee chains, Dempsey also enjoys race car driving and has competed in major competitions, including 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The Tully’s sale is expected to be formally finalized on January 11, at a hearing in Seattle.
