Two-Lane Tucson: Stories Behind Local Businesses

The Businesses That Keep Tucson Alive | Two Lane Tucson Season 3 Finale

What keeps a Tucson business alive when the margins are thin, the summers are brutal, and survival is never guaranteed? In this Season 3 finale of Two Lane Tucson, Elaine Bulawin reflects on the stories behind Arizona Hatters, Baja Cafe, Pivot Produce, The Loft Cinema, Kingfisher, and Maya Tea Company — six businesses that reveal something bigger about Tucson itself. This episode explores the themes that connected the entire season: craftsmanship, resilience, independence, community, and the slow work of building something that lasts. From restoring generations-old cowboy hats to rebuilding local food systems, from surviving the collapse of independent theaters to creating a manufacturing company with national reach from Tucson, these businesses show what cities lose when local institutions disappear — and what happens when people keep showing up anyway. Two Lane Tucson is where we share the stories of the people building Tucson’s local businesses.

How Maya Tea Quietly Built a National Brand From Tucson | Manish Shah

Most people in Tucson have probably had Maya Tea without realizing it. What started as homemade chai and a four-foot table at a farmer’s market grew into a company serving more than 2,500 restaurants and coffee shops across the country — all built from Tucson. In this episode, Elaine sits down with Manish Shah to talk about: – starting Maya Tea in the 1990s while working at Dillard’s – surviving years of uncertainty and expansion – why he brought production in-house instead of outsourcing – the trade show failure that changed the business – what people misunderstand about manufacturing and food production – why Tucson entrepreneurs are tougher than they think This conversation is about persistence, independence, and building something real over decades — not overnight.

How Pivot Produce Built Tucson’s Local Food Network

When chefs in Tucson wanted true farmers-market quality ingredients, the big distributors couldn’t deliver. Erik Stanford saw the problem firsthand while working in restaurant kitchens. In 2015, he started Pivot Produce to connect local farms directly with restaurants across Southern Arizona. What began with just four farms and four restaurants has grown into a regional food hub supplying kitchens, schools, and households. In this conversation, Erik explains how Pivot started, how the business survived when restaurants shut down during COVID, and why building a local food system is far more complicated than most people realize. If you care about where your food comes from, or how local businesses actually get built, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at Tucson’s food economy. If you enjoyed this conversation, share it with someone who cares about Tucson businesses. Two-Lane Tucson is where we share the stories of the people building Tucson’s local businesses.

How Tucson Saved the Loft Cinema

The The Loft Cinema has been part of Tucson’s film culture for more than 50 years. But it almost didn’t survive. In this episode of Two-Lane Tucson, Elaine sits down with Jeff Yanc, program director at the Loft, to talk about how an independent theater stays alive when the movie industry keeps changing. They talk about the early days of the Loft in the 1970s, the moment it nearly closed before becoming a nonprofit in 2002, and how the theater survived the pandemic by turning its parking lot into an outdoor cinema. Jeff also explains how the Loft decides what films belong on its screens, why art-house theaters rely on community support, and how Tucson’s audience helped turn a small theater into a hub for film culture. This conversation is about more than movies. It’s about what it takes for a local institution to survive. If you care about Tucson businesses and the people building them, this story is for you. Two-Lane Tucson is where we share the stories of the people building Tucson’s local businesses.

How Kingfisher Has Survived Tucson’s Restaurant Industry for 30+ Years

Restaurants open and close in Tucson every year. Margins are thin. Costs change constantly. And even long-standing places sometimes disappear. But Kingfisher has been part of Tucson’s dining scene since 1993. In this episode of Two-Lane Tucson, Elaine sits down with Chef Jacki Kuder to talk about the history behind the restaurant, why seafood works in the desert, and what it really takes to keep a restaurant running for decades. They discuss: • the story behind the Kingfisher building and its history as a Tucson restaurant • the dish that has stayed on the menu since day one • how Tucson’s dining scene has changed over the years • the rising costs and supply challenges restaurants face today • why loyal customers continue coming back Jacki also shares her advice for anyone thinking about starting a business in Tucson.