Jose Martinez and Ruben Dorado originally came to Guadalupe to add new territory to their cleaning business. They had already established themselves in Santa Barbara and wanted to grow the North County presence of their business, U.S. Cleaning Company.
When they got to town, they found two things: a building for a good price and no local coffee shops.
“We’re coffee drinkers,” Martinez said. “You have to go to San Luis or some other place to get good coffee.”
So three years ago, shortly after arriving in town, the pair bought that building in the city’s quiet downtown off Guadalupe Street and began putting together their café business.
It started with research. Neither knew much about roasting, but they were sure this coffee-starved area would welcome them. After extensive renovations, a few rounds of back-and-forth with the health department, and two years of planning, the pair opened up Guadalupe Café in early September.
The café offers modern coffee drinkers an oasis in North County. Across from mom-and-pop grocery stores, the Guadalupe Café offers a range of espresso options—lattes and cappuccinos—to go along with just a regular ol’ cup of coffee.
Along one of the city’s famously wind-swept streets, the café offers seating in an outdoor area spread with gravel.
But the owners say business has been slow. It’s a new kind of storefront, and though people have been taking their time getting to know them, Martinez and Dorado are in it for the long haul, they say. The pair won’t live or die by their success with the coffee shop. But they do see it growing. It’s a one-of-a-kind in its area, untouched by the corporate tendrils of Starbucks.
Martinez and Dorado don’t just offer coffee. They have a full café menu with soups, salads, and sandwiches. They have a stuffed avocado filled with feta and pico de gallo. They have okra spears, fried plantains, and even fried tofu.
The pair are looking at the future, too. The building has apartments on the second floor, and Martinez said he was thinking about turning it into a bed and breakfast. There are two other street-front spaces in the building already. One is home to the cleaning company; the other is vacant. Martinez said that could be a restaurant in the future.
They have bigger plans for the café on the horizon.
“One of the things we want is to do,” Martinez said, “is get wine tasting here.”
Highlights:
• On Oct. 9, Dignity Health Central Coast Hospitals announced that in fiscal year 2019, it provided more than $70 million to its patients in the form of financial assistance, unreimbursed Medicaid costs, community health improvement services, and other community benefits. That includes the efforts from Marian Regional Medical Center, the Arroyo Grande Community Hospital, and French Hospital Medical Center.
• Santa Maria is holding a pumpkin carving contest on Oct. 29. From 5 to 8 p.m., youth in seventh to 12th grades can get creative and carve their own pumpkin masterpieces while enjoying Halloween music and spooky snacks. There will also be chances to win prizes. Pumpkins will be donated by the city’s local teen-organized pumpkin patch, The Patch. All carving tools will be provided. The festivities take place at the Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center at 600 McClelland St. Space is limited, and the event is free. Registration is required online at cityofsantamaria.org/register (search “contest”). For more information, contact the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department at 805-925-0951, ext. 2260. For more info about The Patch, visit thepatchsantamaria.com.
Staff Writer William D’Urso wrote this week’s Spotlight. Send news tips to spotlight@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Oct 17-24, 2019.
