Barrio Logan Revitalization ‘Grounds’ for Celebration
Ryan Bros Coffee Latest Company to Invest in Historic Neighborhood, City Incentives ‘Sweeten the Pot’

SAN DIEGO –The Barrio Logan neighborhood is continuing to enjoy a community renaissance as businesses are rediscovering the area as an excellent location to open their doors.   With the assistance of the City’s Community and Economic Development Department, Ryan Bros. Coffee, an in-house coffee roastery with wholesale distribution to many of San Diego’s finest hotels and award-winning restaurants, has relocated from its Kearny Mesa location into an upgraded and expanded facility in the historic Barrio Logan community. 

By utilizing business assistance and advocacy programs offered by the City of San Diego, Ryan Bros. owners found navigating the process of expanding and relocating to Barrio Logan easier and less intimidating.  The company is able to take advantage of a number of tax credits and incentives available through the City’s Enterprise Zone, and Renewal Community coupled with redevelopment benefits currently available in the Barrio Logan Redevelopment Project Area.  These programs made the relocation of the business into the Barrio Logan community much easier and more beneficial to the company.

A grand opening celebration took place at the site formerly owned by Chuey’s Restaruant- a popular local eatery and community landmark. The facility has been remodeled and refitted to facilitate a neighborhood friendly coffee roasting business featuring a retail coffee sales parlor with conference rooms to facilitate community meetings.  Additionally, the roastery incorporated the beloved murals that were originally painted for Chuey’s restaurant into its décor.  This gesture proved significant to the community who consider the murals to be important to the neighborhood’s identity.  Councilmember Ralph Inzunza and Assistant Department Director Debra Fischle-Faulk attended the kick-off of the new establishment.

“We’re excited to have a new business relocating into Barrio Logan,” said Inzuna.  “We are also very pleased that the company understood how important these murals are to the Barrio Logan residents and incorporated them into their décor.  It’s a win-win for the Ryan Bros. Coffee and the community.”

Ryan Bros. Coffee is a family owned and operated business that hopes to put San Diego at the forefront of quality coffee production.  A local University of San Diego alumni, the company’s founder, Harry Ryan is excited to bring the company’s products and services to Barrio Logan.

“The City was instrumental in getting the company through the many challenges we faced in making the move into Barrio Logan,” said Ryan.  “The process would have taken much longer without their help and we hope our new location will become an important social gathering place for neighbors and community leaders within this historic and diverse community.”

The company will also be able to take advantage of a number of overlapping programs available in Barrio Logan and maximize available assistance. Under the Enterprise Zone Program, existing companies within the zone or new companies that move into the zone can take advantage of several significant business-related incentives including tax credits for hiring qualified employees, credits for sales or use tax paid on certain equipment, business expense deductions for personal property and preference on state contracts.  Additional incentives are available to banks that lend to companies located in the zone and to qualified employees who work within the zone.

Additionally, the new facility is located within the City’s Renewal Community boundaries. Tax incentives, authorized by Congress under the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000, encourage the construction and redevelopment of abandoned and underutilized buildings within designated Renewal Communities.   Money is made available for commercial revitalization deductions that allow for the depreciation of capital expenditures on an accelerated schedule, greatly reducing federal taxes.  This tax break is just one of several federal tax savings targeted at small businesses.  The program also offers employee wage credits, equipment tax deductions, and capital gains exclusions.

“Ryan Bros. is another great example of what the City does to help entrepreneurs achieve their business goals,” said Hank Cunningham, director of the City’s Community and Economic Development Department.  “We were able to help them negotiate the permitting process and show them the wonderful incentive packages available in the Barrio Logan neighborhood.  The City remains committed to providing our small business community the tools they need to succeed and thrive in the San Diego marketplace.”

For more information on the City’s business assistance and incentive programs, visit the City’s Web site at www.sandiego.gov/ced or contact the Community and Economic Development Department at (619) 533-4233.

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With an emphasis on the City’s urban core neighborhoods and low- and moderate-income residents, the Community and Economic Development Department strives to improve the quality of life and ensure a healthy economy in San Diego through job development, business development, neighborhood revitalization, public improvements, redevelopment, social services, and revenue enhancement