Community | Archway Incorporated

2013

July 28, 2013

Archway Incorporated (dba I ♥ Guam), in partnership with USO Guam and the Islandwide Beautification Task Force, coordinated an Anti-Graffiti effort to clean up and beautify eight bus stops and the roadside retaining wall located adjacent to JFK high school on Sunday, July 28, 2013.

The program started in 2009 as a way to show island pride while giving back to the community via beautification. Various community groups and businesses partnered to make it happen. The result was 10 bus stops throughout the island and 3 retaining walls painted with I ♥ Guam's theme of Love & Peace by the late Greg Flores. These structures have been photographed by tourist and local residents who love the island of Guam. This year's project was the collaboration of private, government, and military sectors of our island coming together to under the same mission of showing island pride while giving back to our community via beautification.

"We are excited to get the eight bus stops and the wall mural completed in time for the start of the school year. We also wanted to maintain as much of the artwork that were on the structures as they were designed by the late muralist, Greg Flores, said Joyce Kraus, Archway Inc. Sales & Marketing Director."

"The project could not have been completed without the almost 100 volunteers that took time out of their Sunday morning, she added."

Volunteer groups included:

Archway Inc. team members
USO team members
Lt. Governor's team members
California Pizza Kitchen team members
Department of Youth Affairs
U.S. Marine Corp. members
36 CON - Air Force
736SFS - Air Force
36 CS - Air Force

2014

January 1, 2014

More than $2,000 in Gifts to Family of First Born From Archway, Others

Pacific News Center, January 1, 2014, http://tinyurl.com/ktmv9xt

January 1, 2014

I LOVE GUAM "Where America's FIRST Baby is Born"

Because of our special position on the map, Guam can claim to be the place Where America's First Baby Is Born. In 2005, Archway Inc. decided that this bit of information should be more celebrated by our island residents as well as be promoted to the rest of the world. This began the celebration of the first born baby on Guam as I Love Guam "Where America's First Baby is Born".

We are extremely honored to have several local companies participate in this event by providing gifts and services for the baby and the family. All of these help the family and the new born immensely.

Shieh delivers first four babies of the year

Marianas Variety, January 2, 2014, http://tinyurl.com/l43skn9

Baby Amber first born in 2014

Pacific Daily News, January 2, 2014, http://tinyurl.com/l384b3q

Infusion Coffee & Tea Celebrity Visits

MMA fighter and PRIDE title holder Wanderlei Silva and Jiu Jisu fighter Makoto Aramaki visited in December 2012

Matisyahu, a Jewish American reggae vocalist, beatboxer, and alternative rock musician, visited in June 2014

Jo Koy, renowned comedian, visited in August 2014

Infusion Coffee & Tea celebrates 5 years of operation in Upper Tumon, Guam. The second location of the coffee shop chain opened on June 9, 2009. The Upper Tumon location boasts a sweeping view of Tumon Bay, and is the first of the coffee shop chain's full service cafes. The former architecture office transformed into a cafe, but maintained the glass wall which has become a visual feature for the cafe.

Archway, Inc., dba Infusion Coffee & Tea, invited Yoshikazu Iwase to visit Guam in January, 2014. During that time, Iwase-san shared valuable information about coffee and techniques on preparing espresso with the Infusion team. Iwase-san has been a barista for 10 years and founded REC Coffee in Fukuoka, Japan 8 years ago, selling coffee from a customized coffee truck. Competing in various Barista challenges, Iwase took ranking positions in the 2010, 2011, and 2013 Japan Barista Championship and the 2013 Korea Barista Championship.

Infusion Coffee & Tea was honored in 2014 as "Guam's Best Coffee Shop" in The Pacific Daily New (PDN) PIKA Reader Poll. The poll is taken annually of PDN's newspaper and digital readership of various categories of dining, shopping and entertainment. Being selected for having Guam's best coffee is a great honor because it shows that the hard work put in by every member of the Infusion Coffee & Tea team is recognized by the community.

2015

Infusion Coffee & Tea was once again honored in 2015 as "Guam's Best Coffee Shop" in The Pacific Daily New (PDN) PIKA Reader Poll and The Guam Guide on-line Reader Poll. The poll is taken annually of various categories in dining, shopping and entertainment. The awards are only possible due to the continued hard work of the team and their attention to quality service and products

To honor our mission statement of growth and unsurpassed sincerity to our partners (our employees), a scholarship was established Fall 2015 to encourage our employees to always grow and strive for unsurpassed excellence through continued education no matter the career path they choose to follow. Employees were selected through an application and interview process. The qualifying employee was awarded $500.00 to go toward their continued education. Ashley Mercado was the first recipient of the Archway Incorporated Employee Scholarship.

The iconic I ♥ Guam wall in Tumon received a face lift with a new design in 2015. Artist Kristine Bactad designed the mural to coincide with the island culture and adding some fun elements for our visitors to interact with while taking photos. It was a combined partnership with the USO Guam team who prepped and primed the wall and assisted in painting of the mural alongside Archway Incorporated staff and volunteers.

"The Man, the Myth, the Legend" of MMA, Professional Brazilian mixed martial artist and UFC Hall of Famer, Royce Gracie visited the Tamuning cafe on November 14, 2015. He met fans and posed with some during his visit.

2016

January 1, 2016

Guam welcomed the first baby born in America on January 1, 2016. Shaiane Amira Gumabon was the I ♥ Guam New Year Baby for 2016. She was welcomed into the world with thousands of dollars in gifts from local sponsors who provided baby items, restaurant certificates, savings accounts, and more!

February 2016

Infusion Coffee & Tea's fifth location opens at Guam's newest and largest indoor inflatable playground, GoPlay in Harmon, in February 2016. Vibrant colors are featured at the GoPlay cafe location to match with the fun and excitement of the playground.

April - May 2, 2016

I ♥ Guam renovated bus stops along Pale San Vitores Road in Tumon and on North Marine Corps Drive in Tamuning from April to May 2, 2016. Archway's very own artist, Kristine Bactad, designed the Tumon bus stops as part of a series that coincides with the main Mural Wall. The main character "Pedro" and his local animal friends are depicted in this bus stop riding his carabao cart. Visitors can take photos as they sit with Pedro in the cart. Special recognition and thanks to the California Pizza Kitchen team, the Guam Rotaract club, and the Archway family of volunteers that helped to complete this project.

A local artist, Kristine Hannah, with the assistance of her husband Dave, designed and completed the renovation of the bus stop on North Marine Corps Drive. Kristine H. stayed within her theme of "Activities on Guam" depicting various activities enjoyed by locals and visitors such as hiking and scuba diving.

August 26, 2016

Infusion Coffee & Tea opened its sixth cafe on August 26, 2016. The Dededo location is the second location within a Payless Supermarket.

September 2016

Infusion Coffee & Tea is delighted to support the GMH Volunteers Association's Pink Ladies! A special strawberry frappe and strawberry cupcake was created, with a portion of sales generated from these items donated to the organization in September. Special thanks to Phoebe Palisoc, Miss Guam World 2016, who initiated this fundraiser in honor of her grandmother, Prudence Denight, who was a long-time member of this worthwhile organization. Phoebe stands front and center in this photo with Archway, Inc.'s Joyce Kraus (Director of Sales & Marketing) at the left and Marina Taylor (Infusion Staff Development Coordinator) at the right.

October 2016

Infusion Coffee & Tea took the honors three years in a row as PIKA's "Guam's Best Coffee Shop". In 2016, Pacific Daily News readers once again selected Infusion Coffee & Tea among other coffee shops on the island as their favorite coffee shop. The locally owned coffee shop continues to provide world class training for their baristas, and emphasizes consistency and quality in all products and services.

November 5, 2016

Strengthening our roots! It's always nice to see our friend, Pete Terlaje, from the Department of Agriculture at our cafe! He makes his rounds to each of our Infusion Coffee & Tea locations to collect spent coffee grounds & plastic cups to share with farmers & other residents. The coffee grounds are used as a fertilizer, and are known to deter slugs & ants in gardens. Feel good knowing that your espresso-based drink from Infusion Coffee & Tea helps keep our island beautiful & green!

November 2016

Infusion Coffee & Tea celebrates 5 years of operation in their Tamuning location. The third location of the coffee shop chain opened on November 28, 2011 after renovations were made of a former iconic traditional Japanese restaurant along Marine Drive. Staying within the theme of retaining some historic elements of the space, a more Asian ambience was created.

2017

January 1, 2017

2017 welcomed America's First Baby Born in the New Year - Kylie Ray Tesalona. The proud parents, Allan and Mina Marie Tesalona, were showered with over $6,000 in prizes for baby Kylie. Special thanks to:

Archway Inc. (dba I Love Guam)
Bank of Guam
TakeCare/FHP
The Post
Guam Super Shopper
Micronesian Brokers Inc
Burger King
Ambros Inc.
AON Insurance
Asia Pacific Investments
Beachin' Shrimp
California Pizza Kitchen
Crust Pizzeria
Go Play
Graphic Center Inc.
Hilton Guam Resort & Spa
Infusion Coffee & Tea
Lonestar Restaurant
Outrigger Guam

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January 19, 2017

Yoshikazu Iwase, Japan Barista Champion for 2014 and 2015, returned in January 2017 to Guam after three years. As barista champion, Iwase-san represented his home country in the World Barista Championship. At the most recent WBC competition held in Dublin, Ireland in June, 2016, Iwase-san achieved the honor of 2nd place. Champions from 50 countries competed in this prestigious international event. In the years since his last visit to Guam, not only has he improved his ranking in competition, but he has also gained and enhanced his knowledge through extensive travel to coffee producers and roasters throughout the world. Infusion Coffee & Tea is honored that Iwase-san agreed to return to share his experiences with the team to help improve and strengthen the quality of service and product offered to the residents of Guam. He also serves as an ambassador for Urnex products, a leader in coffee and espresso machine cleaners, that are distributed by Archway Incorporated.

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April 5, 2017

As Bank of Guam, the People's Bank, celebrates its 45th anniversary this year, another #findkind event was held on April 5th at the Infusion in Oka Pay-Less. Customers received gift certificates from either Infusion Coffee & Tea or Pay-Less Supermarkets hidden in balloons. Special thanks to the hard working team at #BankOfGuam for spreading love & kindness to grateful residents! #RandomActsOfBOG

June 19, 2017

In an effort to continue to provide quality products and services to our customers, Archway Incorporated relocated its office and warehouse to a larger facility in Tamuning on June 15 and 16; opening its doors for business on June 19, 2017. With over 5,000 sq ft of office and warehouse space, the company is now positioned to continue to grow its existing product line, as well as create new products and services for its local and regional customers.

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2018

May 4, 2018

Another blessed baby joined the world as the I ♥ Guam New Year Baby. Baby Logan James Lynch Perez was born two seconds after midnight on New Year's Day 2018 and received gifts, support, and love from island companies. Donations of over $4,000 were presented to the family. This year the family of the 2017 New Year Baby, Kylie Ray Tesalona, has donated a Baby Gift Basket as well. Kylie's mother, Mina Tesalona, told us that she was so appreciative of what the sponsors provided to her family when Kylie was born and wanted to pay it forward to the next New Year Baby. This is the first time we have ever had one of the families of the New Year Baby of the past donate to the program. It was so heartwarming!

Check out this story on postguam.com and guampdn.com

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