Open letter to our loyal customers, fans and supporters of the Downtown Blues Coffee shop.
As we approach six years of business on December 2025 we could have never done it without you. You have been so incredible to us and supporting any way you can. We appreciate you very much and thank you for your continued support.
As many of you who truly know us probably can tell by the tone of this letter, we are needing some help. Again. This time, with something very, very important. In fact, we probably could not function without it, as it is truly the backbone of the Downtown Blues Coffee. It is our greatest asset – ‘live music,’ the asset that most impacts our business model. Some of you may or may not be aware that it cost businesses a lot of money to play music in an establishment. There are three major music licensees to commercial businesses, whose only job is to keep those businesses in compliance, when using copyrighted material. The companies that sanction and protect copyrights on behalf of song writers and composers are ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. This is in no way to bash them, we respect them and know they are a very vital part of the music business. We are merely stating the facts of our current situation that pertains to them.
We have been in compliance with these three agencies almost since the inception of the Downtown Blues Coffee. It allows us to play vinyl records and have musicians near and far come and showcase their talents by playing covers of copyrighted material. These licenses cost us over $3000.00 a year. It is a huge overhead cost to maintain but we love to have live music and give local musicians a platform to perform other artists’ works. 90% of local musicians play covers, and we feel great knowing the original songwriters/ composers or their estate are protected. We have been asked many times if we pay musicians to play at Downtown Blues Coffee, and the short answer is no, we don’t have the budget. We will offer musicians a great place to play with a full P.A.system and a lot of times a ready made crowd, thanks to the city of Las Cruces allowing a Farmers & Crafts Market once a week all year long, plus good to great tips and unlimited free coffee or teas. Some local artist have gotten thier confidence or start on our stage.
With rising cost of supplies, rent, tariffs and taxes it has gotten harder to maintain our establishment. We don’t sell alcohol or food to offset the cost, so maintaining three music licenses comfortably is getting increasingly difficult. Business has been rather slow this summer, especially during the week. I have heard this coment from other local business downtown as well. Not to mention, the tourist count has been down this year.
We have managed to rack up a pretty big bill within late last year and early this year, with the music license companies mostly with late fees and backpay. That said, we are trying to raise $4036.75 to cover the fees and carry on with playing every genre under the sun. SESAC has already sent a certified letter to terminate our license agreement if we do not pay $2190.26 soon. (they are the most expensive Performing Rights Organization (PRO) but needs to be covered because they represent a ton of songwriters.
We know some of you may be already tired of hearing a plea for help or simply cannot help this time, and we understand. The world is changing immensely, and there is so much uncertainty in the air. Then there are some of you that can and will help because of what the Downtown Blues Coffee means to you and the city – you have been with us all along. We are almost like a .org company that relies on you, the people who care deeply for small business and the impact that they create for the community.
We are also working on a small business loan to help us get through the year and move on to a stellar new beginning . This includes getting plumbing to our espresso machine and replacing aged out furniture We’d also like to put up a decent store front sign plus have the cash flow budget to pay all these wonderful and talented local musicians to continue to grace our little stage. The property owners have been kind enough to extended our lease, so this has given us hope to continue this journey with y’all.
If we cannot make this goal or get close, We will have to restructure how we play and have live music. The plan would have to be play local radio (radio station pays for the music licenses, we only tune in). And for live music, artist would only be able to play a set with strictly originals, no covers, as we could face two law suits, one from the artist and one from the music license agencies. This was also stated in the certified letter. They consider this is a very serious offense, and it could bankrupt a small business. We are hopeful to get past this obstacle – we have had our share in the past – but we are trying to keep an optimistic “faith and the guts to survive” frame of mind. We thanks and appreciate you for learning a little more about us.
Ways to help us can be, a cash donation in person or mail check or money order to : 130 S. Main St Las Cruces, NM 88001 or use PayPal: (575)520-6440, Cash App: $DowntownBluesCoffee (link also on Facebook & Instagram bio) Venmo: (@downtownbluescoffee), Zelle: fjaurequi@downtownbluescoffee.com you can also donate an old guitar or simply frequent us more often.
Love,
-DBC Staff, Frankie & Leilani