Coffee shop owners decide to shut down

After six years in the coffee business, the owners of J Beaner’s Cafe in Amherst is calling it quits.

Owner Linwood Galeucia, 65, said this week that he’s hoping to retire and split his time between Florida and New Hampshire’s Lakes Region. “When you’re in the restaurant business, you work 50 to 60 hours per week, and you don’t have time to pursue other interests,” said Galeucia.

Galeucia said his daughter Jill, who is also a co-owner, would like to take her life in another direction.

They closed the cafe after the December ice storm, but a sign on the building said it would reopen in the spring. Earlier this year, Linwood Galeucia said they hadn’t made a final decision whether or not to reopen. They put up the for sale sign just before Easter and so far have gotten lots of interest on the building, which has a 3,000 square feet and generous parking.

The coffee shop seats 68 people and has an outdoor patio, said Galeucia.