Two Sacramentans with a decade each working in local coffee bars are set to branch out on their own this week as they open Insight Coffee Roasters at Eighth and S streets. Ben Lance and Lucky Rodrigues met about five years ago when they both worked at Temple Coffee, and their idea of what a coffee business should be is set to open Wednesday – possibly as early as Monday or Tuesday if all goes well. “We’re opening this to stay in coffee, not just to own something in coffee,” Rodrigues said. “We want to do this our whole lives, and this is a way to stay in it and not earn minimum wage in our 40s.” The premise of the business is to keep things simple while providing sustainable coffee to t

To the dismay of musicians and coffee enthusiasts alike, Javalounge closed it's doors in December 2009 for what many believed to be the last time. A few brave souls tried their hand at harnessing the force of that location, but none could prove strong enough. After watching coffee shops come and go, Javalounge owner Jake Albus decided it was time for round two. Alerting passersby with blood-like graffiti-style paint on the front window reading "Javalounge Lives", word spread like wildfire. October 22 marked the official grand re-opening, complete with live acoustic performers, free cookies and turkey dogs, and the slightly updated beverage menu. This night set the tone for what is to com

A year and a half ago, give or take, I was unemployed. For seven months. Long, terrifying, faith-shaking months. A period of time that began optimistically with the idea that I would give myself until after the first of the year (I was fired at the end of November—the most wonderful time of the year; the hap-happiest season of all!) before I panicked, and spiraled into a cold sweaty pool of disbelief, when my father died unexpectedly just before my birthday in May. I am fortunate to have terrific friends, some of whom came quite unexpectedly out of long ago created nooks and crannied to offer tremendous comfort and support. I also learned that I have amazing colleagues, some of whom ar

  In the mood for a low-country Regina Spektor-meets-Jimmy Buffett-on-whiskey act followed by a Dave Matthews crossed with a beached-out Buddy Holly number? Well, you can... this coming Tuesday, November 8 at the Naked Lounge in downtown Sacramento (1111 H St.), starting at 8:30. This all ages show features two of California's up-and-coming, on-the-scene singer-songwriters, Jo Elless (www.joelless.com) and Mike Macchia & Tyler Canaday (Mike's Lost and Found, http://www.youtube.com/TheMikeMacchia). Midwest and northeastern roots, with a little dixie thrown in for good measure, Jo Elless is a Berklee-trained multi-instrumentalist who arranges her songs for wind orchestra (all of the instru

Some scenes from Midtown's Modern Art Festival:   For article about the art festival, CLICK HERE>>>

Since opening its doors two weeks ago, Broadacre Coffee has been serving up freshly brewed, personalized and made-to-order cups of coffee to the customers downtown. The four owners – Andrew Lopez, Justin Kerr, Lucas Elia and Jacob Elia – offer eight to 10 various artisan coffee beans sourced from at least four different roasters at any given time. They are currently serving coffee from Intelligentsia, Ritual, Coava and Verve Coffee Roasters. They offer four distinct brewing methods: Chemex, Aeropress, French press, and V60. The Sacramento Press visited Broadacre Coffee to meet with co-owner Andrew Lopez, who explained the process of ordering a cup of coffee and the intricacies of the V6

Less than a month after Temple Coffee moved from its 10th Street location, four artisan coffee enthusiasts are taking over the space to open Broadacre Coffee and offer a personalized, one-on-one, cultural take on modern-day cafes. Brothers Lucas Elia and Jacob Elia – who owned Bloom Coffee in Roseville for three years – and former Bloom Coffee baristas, Andrew Lopez and Justin Kerr, are in the process of setting up their new coffee shop at 1014 10th St., which is slated to open in the next week. To keep updated on Broadacre Coffee’s progress and find out when the shop will open, check its Twitter and Facebook pages. “The opportunity just arose, and we really love that area,” Lopez said.

Lifelong Sacramento resident Matt Crummy, 21, recently purchased Off Broadway Bean coffee bar and renamed it Crum’s Place, fulfilling his dream of owning his own business. “It was just sort of perfect timing,” he said. “I was looking to get into business, and I saw an ad on Craigslist, and it all just worked out.” Crummy took ownership on June 17, and he said the business has been going well. Before Off Broadway Bean, the 1,400-square-foot space was tha home of Java Lounge. “My dad owns a hot dog cart at 14th and I (streets), and I always wanted to run a business, too,” Crummy said. “I don’t want to have a boss. I want it to be my own.” Many of the facets of the former coffee bar have

Temple Coffee, a fixture on 10th Street since 2005, moved a block on Wednesday to Ninth Street, where it will have a more open, modern feel, but little else will change. The move from 1014 10th St. to 1010 Ninth St. was something owner Sean Kohmescher said he had been looking to do for some time, saying the old space didn’t fit the needs of the coffee bar. “The design of the (new) space is set up much more for conversations and engagement,” Kohmescher said, adding that the old space felt cramped. Also bigger, at about 2,000 square feet compared to the old location’s 1,450 square feet, the newer one gives a more open feel. Both  seat about 60 people, but the feeling in the new building i

An empty former Starbucks at Seventh and K streets will soon be serving coffee and food as Plaza Cafe Lounge opens next month with an emphasis on bringing a San Francisco-style coffee bar to downtown Sacramento. “We want to make it a lounge place where you can sit on a comfortable couch or out on the patio and meet with friends,” said co-owner Zack Alemi. The 1,800 square-foot space will be outfitted with $10,000 worth of leather lounge chairs and couches as well as free wi-fi. A 1,500-square-foot patio fronting St. Rose of Lima Park will add seating, and Alemi said the coffee lounge will connect to the Antigua night club next door. Six big-screen plasma TVs will be in the space as well

Two restaurateurs with a love of fine beer and coffee plan to open an alehouse in Midtown with a possible cafe and coffee-roasting operation next door. Tex Mex Bar and Grill owner Mike Keolanui said he and his best friend, Anthony Priley, expect to replace Keolanui's restaurant at 2326 J St. with a joint venture, River Rock Tap House, July 9. They decided to team up again, about 17 years after they opened River Rock in Citrus Heights featuring 40 craft beers, on-site roasted coffee and food. Priley and his father, Steve, who co-founded Java City, owned River Rock. Keolanui was the general manager. Within a month, they also hope to sign a lease for the space next door at 2330 J St., whic

Master Barber & Beauty Shop presents: Art on Stockton Blvd. - Art Panel Discussion "Art In Sacramento - Where do we go from here?" This is your chance to share and discuss with some of Sacramento's lead art professionals and artists! Join Master Barber & Beauty Shop and panel participants, Dr. Allan Gordon, Lorrie Kempf, Patris Miller, Daphne Burgess and James Sweeney for an evening of lively discussion on "Art in Sacramento." Come with your thoughts, stories and questions as professionals in the art world tell their personal and professional views on the Sacramento art scene. Keynote Speaker: Gerry GOS" Simpson - Artist, Photographer and Author Moderator: Tim Foster - Editor, Midtown

The owner of TreyBCakes – rhymes with "baby cakes" – made good on a dream inspired by his grandfather when he opened the gourmet bakery and eatery Monday. Trey Luzzi, 34, just started his first business at 19th and L streets with plenty of help from his relatives. Recipes, family stories and a love of food have been handed down for generations on both sides of his family. George Lunsford, the grandfather who showed him how much fun cooking and entertaining could be, died five years ago. But the rest of Luzzi's family has done everything they can to help launch TreyBCakes at 1801 L St. in Midtown. "It's a family affair," said Luzzi Wednesday as his sister, Tami Adge, ate lunch at a table

Somewhere between Broadway and X, a secret spring runs with water that brings happiness, relaxation and generosity. I’m not sure where the mouth of the spring lies, but you can get a taste by just taking a look at some of the great businesses popping up in this corridor of numbered streets tucked next to the freeway between Broadway and the grid. The intersection of neighborhoods seems to make this area hidden and accessible only to those choice locals who know where to go. Off Broadway Bean, known by so many as just another cafe at 2416 16th St., is trying to make its way by producing specially selected and freshly roasted coffees and container after container of loose-leaf tea, just wai

I live in the ‘burbs and I can get to feeling pretty isolated from my neighbors. Okay, I have that feeling a lot of the time. It’s mostly my own fault – I don’t always make the effort because I’m kinda shy and different… I don’t always know where to start. Give me the right setting and a reason to chat, well that definitely helps. I’ve discovered one such setting and no, it’s not a support group (though I could probably use one of those). It’s a new shop near El Camino and Fulton called Chic for Change. Teshala Paradiso, who everyone calls “Tesh,” is working to realize a vision that came to her during a year-long turn with a very serious illness. She described how on one particularly bad

Trailhead Coffee & Cycling Lounge announced today the First Annual Bike for Bliss benefiting A Chance for Bliss Animal Sanctuary. Registrants will enjoy Trailhead’s own signature coffee and energy bars before and after the ride. “Bike for Bliss is our way of helping our neighbor, A Chance for Bliss, and giving back to the community,” said Rob Johnson, co-owner and cycling lounge enthusiast, Trailhead Coffee & Cycling Lounge. “We want to be a regular gathering establishment for our community, and getting involved with A Chance for Bliss is a way to meet our neighbors and give everyone a fun day for a good cause.” WHO: Trailhead Coffee & Cycling Lounge Fun-Raiser for A Chance for Bliss Ani

The holiday season is full of tons of sales, tons more traffic, heavy amounts of stress, unending joy and most importantly, coffee. The greatest thing about coffee is that you can buy it as a gift, you can buy it in between buying gifts, you can buy it while you are talking about buying gifts and you can buy it when you are finally finished buying gifts. Shoppers everywhere thank Starbucks in particular for their availability, popularity and new product choices every year, especially around this time. Starbucks has become a culture all on its own from the ordering lingo, to the quality of service, down to the family friendly vibe. “I don't even like coffee, but I like the atmosphere here

Shine – a new coffeehouse at 14th and E streets – opened Aug. 29, and management said the neighborhood has been receptive, with sales steadily climbing. “We are ‘the chill zone,’ ” said Rena Davonne, owner of Shine. “I wanted it to be a neighborhood place.” The Shine building – which also houses belly dancing and yoga businesses – held a grand opening Saturday, and the coffeehouse brought live music to its small stage. “That went really well,” said Manager Demetri Gregorakis. “About 500 people came through the doors that day.” Gregorakis said that constitutes about four times as many customers as came through the business on previous Saturdays. “That was the first time we had live mus

The Old Soul Co. coffeehouse chain isn’t on the list of recommended vendors for the Sacramento International Airport’s new Terminal B, but company owners are hurriedly gathering signatures on a petition to put before the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors at their meeting Tuesday. At that meeting, the board will make its final decision on which companies will provide food and beverage concessions at the terminal, and Old Soul Co. co-owner Tim Jordan said he hopes to be included. “This is a decade-long contract,” Jordan said. “We feel like our bid was very strong, and we’re the locally owned choice at that.” In the terminal plans, three spaces are going to be used for coffeehouses, J

Good Eats has finally opened, and after a whole lotta hoopla I was raring to get over there and try what had caused so much excitement for over two years in developments. Good Eats is attempting to be a coffee shop, prepared foods outlet, and restaurant dining experience. A lot to take on right? That's what I thought too. “Our Good Eats Kitchen is going to be a celebration of good food,” stated Michael Ashker, co-founder and CEO of Good Eats. About two years ago when the location for Good Eats was up in the air, they were looking at the Corti Brothers spot on Folsom Bvld. This was met with public outcry, and a debate over whether the right to keep a Sacramento institution should be overt