Owner Profiles: Seattle Wolves - Dan Gagen

Dan Gagen is a new owner of the Icehouse Hockey League expansion team Seattle Wolves. Dan was brought into the league by his sister and former IHHL Commissioner Alyssa Gagen. When Dan isn't busy managing his team, he can often be found to be flying the teams namesake, one of the helicopters used in the seminal 1980s action show, Airwolf.

Dan moved to the Seattle area shortly after college to carve out his place in the world. He was always willing to take risks and decided to jump into the the cut throat market of coffee bars right in hometown of Starbucks and Seattle's Best Coffee. 

Riding the wave of retro chic and a growing distaste for "main stream" businesses, Dan started his own coffee shop, called Hip Stirs. The concept evolved out a belief that no one makes a better cup of coffee for you, than you. Dan even has tip jars put out so that should a customer be especially pleased with the coffee they have made, they can tip themselves.

While the concept for Hip Stirs was openly mocked by established business; Dan not only made it the "roast" of the town, but he parlayed the concept into a successful franchise business. Each location encourages the local patrons to decorate the store as they see fit. This has allowed each location to evolve organically and have it's own unique feel.

Dan's flair for risk and challenging the status quo has not stopped at his coffee shops though.  When it comes to the Wolves, Dan insists on a retro feel there as well. There again, he echoes the past, from the uniforms to the fact that players are encouraged not to wear helmets.