John Ambrosini, owner of The Green Spot in Coos Bay, has big dreams — dreams that include making improvements to his own business and to the community as well.

So far he has managed to fulfill some of them.

When he and his wife, Sandy, purchased the former J.C. Penney building in December 2007, Ambrosini said he wanted it to be a place for the young and old to hang out.

That vision hasn’t changed. A few weeks ago a Thai restaurant and bakery opened inside the establishment. This week Ambrosini is adding couches and lamps.

“People can come in here and kick back,” Ambrosini said.

He recently added a 24- by 32-foot stage to accommodate the bigger bands he is bringing in, such as Big Brother and the Holding Company, the band that got Janis Joplin started. The band will play Sunday night.

Ambrosini, who also owns Anthony’s Garden on Troy Lane south of Coos Bay, initially called his business Sobers because it was alcohol-free. It featured pool tables and arcades, but mainly attracted teenagers.

Later Ambrosini decided he wanted to appeal more to adults. He now features bands from the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, in addition to offering more contemporary music. He added a beer and wine garden, so Baby Boomers could have a drink while watching concerts from a separate room. He also plans to sign with bands that senior citizens will enjoy. His Sunday afternoon blues jams are branching out, with Rasta jams now offered on the first Sunday of the month and open mics for families the second Sunday, fiddlers and acoustic music on the third Sunday and music for kids on the fourth Sunday.

Ambrosini has philanthropic goals, too.

The Thai restaurant, owned by Max and Sun Kane, is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, with later hours during concerts. Prior to moving to The Green Spot, the Kanes ran a bakery and restaurant in Charleston. Max Kane said he and his wife, who began cooking professionally more than 15 years ago at a restaurant she owned in Thailand, will donate some of the food to the Bay Area Senior Center. On Monday, Ambrosini began providing two more lunch days at the senior center.

“We’re enjoying The Green Spot,” Kane said. “We feel we’re helping people here.”

The Ambrosinis created their own food distribution center, the Rasta & Roll Food Bank, at The Green Spot. In addition to food, the center offers childcare items such as diapers and toys. Ambrosini is challenging other businesses to start food banks too.

“It just takes each employee bringing in two cans a week,” he said.

Many of the concerts held at The Green Spot are fundraisers for charitable organizations. Concert-goers are asked to donate cans of food. A recent concert raised $450 for Oregon Coast Community Action and an additional $450 for Community Action’s Snack Pack Program. Cans and bottles left over from events are donated to people in need.

Ambrosini publishes a weekly newsletter, The Compassion Times, which includes information on topics such as community events, music and where to find food and housing assistance. He rents his building for fundraising events and community classes and hopes by increasing foot traffic to the downtown, nearby businesses also will benefit.

His latest idea is to go before the Coos Bay City Council to ask if businesses or individuals could sell their wares or set up food stands along the waterfront during the summer.

“We’ll organize it if they want — if they’ll let us do it,” Ambrosini said.

For more information on donating or receiving free food, visit The Green Spot at 181 Anderson Ave., Coos Bay, call 267-6622 or e-mail thegreenspotentertainment@yahoo.com.