Patrick Dempsey beats Starbucks, will pay $9.15 million for Tully’s

Looks like Patrick Dempsey is no longer just the studliest fictional doctor in Seattle. He’s likely the city’s newest coffee chain owner as well.

The actor, known for his McDreamy persona on the television show “Grey’s Anatomy,� says he’s headed for a new role as the owner of Seattle-based Tully’s Coffee.

His group, Global Baristas, will pay $9.15 million for Tully’s, Dempsey said in a statement. He said the group beat out six other bidders for the company, including local rivals such as Hooters-esque brand Baristas Coffee Co. and Starbucks Corp.

Late Thursday night, after emerging from a closed auction for Tully’s, Dempsey triumphantly tweeted: “We met the green monster, looked her in the eye, and ... SHE BLINKED! We got it! Thank you Seattle!�

Tully’s has 47 company-owned shops in Washington and California. Its parent company, TC Global Inc., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October.

The chain has been around for two decades and has more than 500 employees, according to Dempsey’s statement.

“I’m thrilled that we won and I’m even more excited about saving Tully’s Coffee and its hundreds of jobs,� Dempsey -- a.k.a. Dr. Derek Shepherd of Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital on the popular ABC show – said in the statement.

“I’m confident we will be able to successfully build the brand and help grow the economy,� he said in the statement. “Seattle has been very good to me over my career, and I am honored to have the privilege to own Tully’s and work closely with the company’s employees.�

The winning bid won’t be official until a bankruptcy hearing next week. Dempsey said he expects the acquisition to be finalized later this month.

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