city, in the greener, wealthier area of Reno. Th e 17,000-square-foot shop sits in a shopping area with a Mexican restaurant, a pizzeria, a bakery, a salon and a dog boutique. "A lot of people (who come in for
serves beer and wine, gets a 15 to 20 percent business boost when it has a live music performance. "Th at defi nitely makes it worth it," Alioto says. It's worth it especially considering
music) say they're in from out of town," Alioto says. Th e shop he manages, which also
how little work the coff eehouse staff has to put into organizing the performances. Th e shop has a music promoter who gets paid $50 per show to fi nd the bands, screens them for appropriateness, arranges the performances, sets up the gear and runs the sound and light systems. "Th e promoter worries about all of
that," he says.
a stage, and it keeps a PA system and lighting rig in a back room between shows, so it doesn't clutter the dining room. Th e promoter runs the local "Reno
Th e shop has a carpet rather than
Music Project," which holds numerous live music events all around town. He also has a knack for getting press in the local paper for the events. "I don't really see a downside,
says. SCR " Alioto
34 | July 2012 • www.specialty-coffee.com
