It takes a special kind of person to stand in the middle of morning rush hour traffic and break it down old school style. Wearing a donkey costume. In the rain.
It takes an ass. A Bad Ass, it turns out.
Amidst catcalls, dogs lunging out of car windows, honks of support and, well, just plain amusement, a lone dancing donkey keeps the faith on selected mornings at the corner of Old Redwood Highway and Mark West Springs Road. His sole purpose is to direct attention toward the recently opened coffeehouse franchise, Bad Ass Coffee Co.
Think dancing arrow with fur.
The Hawaiian-inspired coffee spot recently opened in the convenience wasteland around the Wells Fargo Center (because, really, where’s a mochachino when you need one?). The Santa Rosa location is the first N. Bay outpost for this international beverage franchise that’s found success as much from its cheeky name as from its Kona coffee.
So what’s with the dancing donkey? The Bad Ass Coffee Co. is named for the hard-working pack animals that once helped haul coffee through the mountains of Hawaiian coffee plantations. Well, that and its just plain funny. (Though some PD readers apparently don’t think so.)
And whether you like him or not, donkey’s staying, uh-assiduous in his work. Aside from a hearty “Aloha” and a kiss of my hand, my furry dancing friend remains mum on the subject of how he comes up with the inspiration for his footwork. And, who exactly the guy inside the suit really is.
“I’m a donkey!” he says, waving at a carload of people pointing and laughing at/with him.
Sometimes it really does take an ass to make your day.
Bad Ass Coffee Co., 90 Mark West Springs Rd.,Santa Rosa, 526.3434