The male population of Vassalboro, Maine is inconsolable after headline-grabbing local joint the Grand View Topless Coffee Shop was destroyed in a fire late last night.

The fire came just hours after owner Donald Crabtree met with local officials to iron out zoning problems surrounding the sultry Starbucks competitor. At that meeting, close to fifty wet-blankets local residents showed up to complain and prevent Crabtree’s efforts to extend operating hours, expand employee parking and let people see boobs when they get their coffee.

Crabtree, who lived on the premises with his family, recently shelled out nearly $280,000 to renovate and launch the business and did not have insurance. Crabtree and six family members, including his infant grandchildren, escaped unharmed in the early-morning blaze.

Although a cause for the fire has not yet been determined, officials have deemed it suspicious.

Bummer: Topless coffee shop burns to the ground is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Topless Coffee Shop

Grand View Topless Coffee saw plenty of protests prior to its opening this week. But so far, owner Don Crabtree says business has been promising.

“We want to keep the girls respectable, not trashy,” Crabtree tells the local paper. “The biggest thing is keeping people happy.”

As such, the topless cafe makes its rules clear: You have to be over 18 to get in, you can’t take photos, and you can’t touch the gals.

The Topless Cafe Staff

To be fair, Maine’s topless coffee shop isn’t just for the fellas’ eyes: Three of its 10 waiters are guys (who, you guessed it, also walk around without shirts). Clearly, though, it’s the female exposure grabbing most of the attention. One of the topless waitresses tells the Morning Sentinel she had one customer who came in, gulped down his coffee in minutes, handed her a $100 bill, then left–all without saying a single word.

“I love it,” one of the girls tells the paper. “I find it very empowering, not degrading.”

Crabtree tells the media a full 150 people lobbied for the jobs. Only 10 were hired.

Right now, the Grand View Topless Coffee shop serves up donuts ($2 each) and regular New England Coffee ($3 a cup). You can get any cup size you want–just don’t ask for the milk.

Topless Cafe Video

The following report shows video inside the Grand View Topless Coffee cafe, including interviews with some of the employees.

VIDEO: Topless Cafe Adds New “Perk” To Maine Coffee is a post from: The Inquisitr