Patrick Dempsey Says Goodbye to the Coffee Chain He Rescued

The coffee business isn’t that McDreamy, after all. After making a splash in January by outbidding Starbucks for the small and bankrupt Seattle-based coffee chain Tully’s, the investor group Global Baristas has lost actor Patrick Dempsey as its celebrity spokesman after a legal dispute. Dempsey, who identified himself as a “member and manager” of the company in the complaint, said in a joint statement with Global Baristas owner Michael Avenatti, “I am happy that we have resolved our differences and have put this behind us.”

Dempsey had filed a lawsuit on behalf of Global Baristas last week against Avenatti. The Grey’s Anatomy star claimed that Avenatti borrowed $2 million against Tully’s assets without telling Dempsey, rather than fully financing the coffee chain as promised, reports the Seattle Times. Dempsey called the 15 percent interest rate on the loan “exorbitant” and sued for Avenatti to fund Tully’s operations and meet its working capital needs, as well as for any damages owed the company. Avenatti is calling the situation a misunderstanding.