Dave Bezona, inspired by coffee roasting in Alaska, has expanded his Oro Valley Coffee Roasting business to a new location in the lobby of Oro Valley Hospital. The shop replaces a previous coffee kiosk and has received support from local leaders. Bezona credits the venture with providing a steady revenue stream while serving the community.
Dave Bezona spent much of his adult life working in Alaska's oil fields on a two-weeks-on, two-weeks-off schedule. During a slowdown in December 2005, he visited his friend Greg Abshire at North Pole Coffee Roasting in North Pole, Alaska, where he developed a passion for the craft.
"That's where I fell in love with it, over a December," Bezona said. "Fell in love with the whole process of coffee roasting." He became intrigued by the art of green bean blending and creating roast profiles to produce flavors like fruity, nutty, cedar, or chocolate. "It's truly an art to develop a great cup of coffee with different flavor profiles," he added.
Back in Oro Valley during his time off, Bezona started roasting beans from the back of his truck and eventually opened Oro Valley Coffee Roasting, selling bags of whole beans. In July 2024, he launched a storefront in Catalina, adding espresso brewing to the operations. Last November, the business moved into the hospital lobby, previously occupied by Desert Rain Coffee and proprietor John Hall, who had retired.
Cody Barnhart, the hospital's chief administrative officer, welcomed the partnership: "We are incredibly excited to welcome Oro Valley Coffee Roasters into our hospital family. Supporting our local business owners is a priority for us, and this partnership allows us to support the Oro Valley economy while providing a high-quality, local experience for our staff, patients, and visitors."
Bezona described the collaboration positively: "It's been fantastic working with the hospital. Hopefully, we'll be here for a long time." In late January, a ribbon-cutting ceremony drew Oro Valley Mayor Joe Winfield and others. Winfield remarked, "Small business is the heart of every community. Judging by the line awaiting fresh coffee, you have a great product. There are a lot of happy faces."
Kristen Sharp, president and CEO of the Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce, noted the business's long-standing membership, even from Bezona's Alaska days: "We could say 'we have members in Alaska.' That may no longer be the case, but I'm excited he is putting down more roots locally."
The hospital location serves mostly staff—about 80% of customers—but is open to patients, visitors, and residents. Employees Judy Grille, Sabrina Smith, and Bri Huddleson help run the shop, which also supplies wholesale coffee to places like Copper Wings Café in Atwood, California, and KT's Barbecue in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Hospital board member Paul Loomis, a former mayor, said, "I'm glad to see this coffee shop open again."
Bezona, who favors a medium roast Snake Bite blend made with Costa Rican beans, shared, "I'm having fun with it. I don't think I will go back to work." The venture has proven a reliable revenue source for the business.
