Biz Buzz: Coffee shop is hopping into A.G.

A new coffeehouse will soon open in the Village of Arroyo Grande.

Brothers Lance and Doug Simpson, owners of Alphy’s Broiler restaurant on W. Branch St., are opening Alphy’s coffee shop, where specialties will include espresso (coffee beans from Cambria Coffee Roasting Co.), hot teas, pastries and desserts. The Simpsons’ target date for opening at 134-A W. Branch St. is Tuesday. The hours will be 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Lance Simpson said the coffeehouse idea had been brewing for a few months and is the result of a need to “grow our business.”

“We’ve reached a point in pricing and food quality and quantity that people can afford to eat here more than once a week,” he said. “We’ve grown quite a bit every year since we opened six years ago.”

Simpson attributes the success of Alphy’s Broiler to the attention to customer service from its eight employees and fresh ingredients used to make sandwiches, salads and soups.

“We make everything from scratch, and we use as many local providers as possible,” he said.

Simpson isn’t concerned about competition from other coffee shops in the neighborhood.

“My brother and I have been in this business a long time, and we’re under the impression that the more the merrier,” he said. “The more businesses open in Arroyo Grande, the more people it will attract. When there are more choices, it’s better for everyone.”

— Julie Lynem

SLO occupancy tax money down

San Luis Obispo’s transient occupancy tax revenue was down in May by 5.2 percent compared to last year.

The TOT revenue is one of the city’s top three sources of general fund revenue along with sales and property tax. In all, the tax revenue is down 6.5 percent year-to-date, city officials said.

The decline disappointed city administrators who had hoped that the prior two months of consecutive growth would continue. A slight gain is expected in coming months because June, July and August are typically the highest months for TOT revenues.

— AnnMarie Cornejo

Twin Cities wins critical care award

Twin Cities Community Hospital representatives recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to receive a Beacon Award from the American Academy of Critical Care Nurses. Twin Cities is one of three hospitals in California and one of 36 in the United States to earn the award, which recognizes top pediatric, progressive, and adult critical-care units as measured by national criteria for recruitment and retention; education, training and mentoring; research and evidence-based practice; patient outcomes; leadership and organization ethics; and a healing environment. Twin Cities, part of Tenet California, is a 114-bed acute care hospital at 1100 Las Tablas Road in Templeton.

— Julia Hickey

• • •

SLO Life Magazine debuted last month, distributing 20,000 free copies to residents in San Luis Obispo, according to publisher Tom Franciskovich and his wife, Sheryl. The magazine features stories about local citizens. The couple plans to publish the magazine four times in its first year.

Tom Franciskovich worked in the advertising departments of The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, and is the franchiser for a publications company called OpenDoor Directories.

Sheryl Franciskovich, a graphic designer, completes layout for the magazine.

They employ one full-time employee and three freelancers.

— Julia Hickey