Baristas Coffee Company, Inc. (BCCI)

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Possible tussle brewing over Tully's coffee
A scrum over the ownership of Tully’s Coffee could break out next week between an investor group led by TV actor Patrick Dempsey,

Starbucks Coffee Co. and possibly other bidders.
Another player with a seat at the table is Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, the company that in 2009 bought Tully’s wholesale business and brand. The Vermont company could be a strong advocate for Dempsey’s group.

Late Thursday, Tully’s board of directors declared Dempsey’s group the winning bidder for the bankrupt coffee shop chain. Dempsey’s group, Global Baristas, offered about $9.15 million for the Seattle-based company.

But the sale still has to be approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Seattle, which is expected to rule on the deal Jan. 11. Until then, one or more other bidders could overcome Dempsey’s bid.
Starbucks, one of the failed bidders, could join forces with another bidder and challenge Dempsey’s deal, according to a person familiar with the discussions.
Starbucks spokesman Zack Hutson said the company was "evaluating its options."

Starbucks wants only a portion of the Tully’s retail chain — 25 stores, including 12 in Boeing locations ­— with another bidder taking the remainder, Hutson said.
Tully’s operation includes 47 company-owned stores and 71 stores owned by franchisees or licensees.
Starbucks’ bid, when combined with an offer from an undisclosed bidder, totals about $10.56 million, said Hutson, who characterized the combined offers as “stand-alone bids.” The combined bid exceeds the $9.15 million Dempsey bid by about $1.4 million.
Both offers would allow Tully’s to fully repay its secured and unsecured creditors.