Claire Sumadiwirya, owner of Bellden Cafe
Situation
The concept behind Bellden Café, a mission-driven café in the heart of Bellevue, came from Claire Sumadiwirya’s life. Before opening Bellden Café in 2017, Claire was on a short-term work assignment in Shanghai, China when her newborn son became seriously ill, requiring weeks of hospitalization. Shanghai hospitals don’t have onsite food available and without family and friends nearby to help, Claire would have to leave her son alone in the hospital to get meals or even a simple cup of coffee. One day, Claire was surprised by the hospital staff who brought her a cup of coffee and homemade soup, allowing her to stay with her son. Claire carried the impact of that kind gesture with her back to Bellevue, where she searched for a way to give back to others and create lasting impacts in her community. Claire opened Bellden Café, a community-driven cafe that offers specialty coffee, wholesome house-made food, and... Read More