Dove House Advocacy Services has entered into an agreement to purchase the property at 939 Kearney Street in Port Townsend for its Recovery Café, which program manager Brian Richardson said they hope to open by August 1.

A Recovery Café is a space where people recovering from substance abuse, homelessness, mental illness and trauma can find community and healing in a café-like setting.

Originally started in Seattle, Recovery Cafés are now popping up statewide as a model for treating substance abuse and addiction issues in communities, said David Uhl, director of the Recovery Café Network in Seattle.

County commissioners on Jan. 28 approved $45,000 from the Hargrove Fund to Dove House in 2019, for mental health and substance abuse funding.

With a $50,000 matching grant from the Seattle-based Recovery Café Network, and donations from supporters, Dove House was able to raise the money to purchase the building at 939 Kearney Street, which currently is home to Candace’s Cookies.

Richardson said the owner was looking to sell not only the property, but the business as well, and that they are looking for ways to incorporate it into the Recovery Café.

“It’s the perfect location,” Richardson said. “It’s near a bus line, close to the food bank, and close by to services.”

He said that they were originally looking to buy further south in the county, such as Port Hadlock, but they could not find a place with a large enough septic system.

The building at 939 Kearney Street has an industrial kitchen that will meet the needs of the café-like setting Dove House hopes to build. Richardson said he spoke with city police, the East Jefferson Fire Rescue, and the location’s neighbors, who include the Recyclery, YMCA and Mountain View campus, and received positive responses about the location.

Once they finalize the purchase, advocates from Dove House will be in search of volunteers to help refurbish the space, with new floors and paint to turn the building into a café.

All resources and services provided at Recovery Café Jefferson County will be free of charge, including a sober, safe, and clean space, meals prepared on site, coffee, peer-led support groups called Recovery Circles, classes in the School for Recovery, social activities, volunteer opportunities, and referrals to community services.

“I hope that it will look like a beautiful, welcoming place that speaks love to people and represents the feeling of Port Townsend,” said Maura Walsch, an intern at Dove House. Walsch will be helping with the design of the café, and said she is looking for volunteers knowledgeable in construction, refurbishment and design.

“It needs a little love,” she said. “We’re hoping this will be a place where people can find stability to get the services they need, whether that is housing, treatment, therapy, or medical services. Love and community is how we heal.”

Dove House will be holding a series of Community Build days in the summer, and is also looking for donations to help fund operational costs, such as electricity and food.

Not only that, but both Richardson and Walsch said they hope the community at large can be part of the Recovery Café.

“We are all in recovery from something,” Richardson said. “Everybody has a space at the café.”