A longtime Fremont coffee shop is preparing to close its doors as a broader redevelopment project moves forward in the neighborhood.
Caffe Ladro’s Fremont location, at 452 N 36th St, will close on March 31. The cafe has operated at the site since 2000 and is part of a block slated for demolition and redevelopment into a seven-story apartment building with ground-floor retail.
The closure comes on the heels of the opening of the new Ballard Caffe Ladro, which opened at 2240 NW Market St. earlier this month.
Several other businesses that once occupied the downtown Fremont block have closed in recent months. Norm’s Eatery & Ale House, Roxy’s Diner, and the Backdoor speakeasy all closed in September 2024. More recently, Baila Bar closed in February 2026, relocating its dance nights to Rhein Haus, while Fremont Laser & Design has also closed.
The buildings being cleared for redevelopment have housed a range of uses over the past century, according to Vanishing Seattle. One of the structures, built in 1924, previously served as a Safeway grocery store and later as a training facility for grocery checkers. Another space on the block was once used as a diaper laundry service before becoming a nightlife venue.
Caffe Ladro was founded in Seattle in 1994 by Jack Kelly, who later partnered with Bob Ohly in 1996. The company has remained independently owned as it expanded to more than 15 locations across the region. Its Fremont cafe has been one of its neighborhood outposts for over two decades.
Staff from the Fremont location are expected to move to other Ladro cafes in the area, according to Vanishing Seattle’s post.
Photo: Caffe Ladro