Posted at: 08/14/2009 10:00 PM
Updated at: 08/14/2009 10:24 PM
By: Valerie Castro, Eyewitness News 4; Charlie Pabst, KOB.com

Coffee chain gets creative to expand

Satellite Coffee

Even though we're still in the throes of a recession, a local coffee chain is expanding.

Satellite Coffee has come up with an interesting way to pay for construction when lending is tight.

Satellite owner Jean Bernstein says when it came time to expand her coffee chain to more locations, including the UNM campus, all she had to do was ask for a little financial faith.

"We are asked everyday to put a location somewhere else in Albuquerque, so people don't have to go to Starbucks, and we're trying to do that," Bernstein said.

She is opening three new Satellite Coffee locations in Albuquerque including two on the UNM campus.

Since banks aren't lending like they used to, it was tough for Bernstein to get financing for the expansion.

Klinger Constructors agreed to do the work before getting paid, collecting once the new locations start to make money.

Klinger built most of the other Satellite Coffee locations.

"It was an easy decision for us and it is outside of our normal box, but when the Bernsteins came to us with this idea, it just seemed like a natural to help them because they've helped us with their business over the years," Ray Smith with Klinger Constructors said.

Bernstein said it's a strategy she is sure other businesses will pick up on.

"I think it's going to be an interesting economy we're going to be more of a barter and trader type of economy," she said.

In addition to the two locations on the UNM campus, another location will be opening on University Boulevard near Carrie Tingley Hospital.