SEATTLE (AP) - Patrick Dempsey says he plans to be very involved in running Tully's Coffee shops after the "Grey's Anatomy" star won the Seattle-based chain in a bankruptcy auction.
In an interview Friday, Dempsey said that as the underdog in Seattle, Tully's will need to find its identity. He says once the business is stabilized, the long-term goal is to take the chain national.
But in a statement on Thursday, auction rival Starbucks insinuated that Dempsey shouldn't celebrate just yet.
Starbucks says a final determination on the winning bid won't be made until a court hearing on Jan. 11. Starbucks said it's in a "back-up" position to buy 25 of the 47 Tully's cafes, with another undisclosed bidder making an offer for the remainder.
The combined bids of Starbucks and the undisclosed bidder come to $10.6 million, above the $9.2 million Dempsey's company is offering.
