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The Asa Old Fashioned
Aged bourbon, demerara, Angostura, expressed orange peel.
House Specialty
Our Story
Named for a Pioneer.
Built for a Community.
ASA Gathering takes its name from Asa Mercer — the visionary pioneer after whom this island was named. But there's a deeper resonance: in the West African Yoruba language, "Asa" carries an accent and a meaning: to convene, gather, exchange power, information and energy.
Co-owners Hill Harper — Harvard-educated actor, New York Times best-selling author and activist — and Mizan Howard — Harvard alumna, community builder, and Ethiopian refugee who returned to Seattle to raise her family — met at a Harvard Alumni Club gathering on the Island in 2019. From there, a friendship sparked into a shared dream.
Two years of "blood, sweat, tears, and Boon Boona Coffee" later, ASA opened its doors in September 2024. It immediately became what Mercer Island had been quietly waiting for: a place that feels like an extension of your best friend's house. Refined but not fussy. Modern yet full of warmth.
"We want this to feel like an extension of your best friend's house. The experience, the camaraderie, the connection — that is the key."— Mizan Howard
As Mayor Salim Nice said at the grand opening: "Small businesses like ASA are the heartbeat of our community."
