Quad Cities Business News

Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, & Dewey/Humboldt

You are here: Home / Archives for Business

Business

Discovering the Hidden Royal Treatment on Princess Cruises

By Leave a Comment

Cruise line offers a 360 Experience and secret menu for those who know how to find it.

At 11 a.m. on a winter morning in sunny Southern California, journalists from New York City, Los Angeles and Flagstaff converged to review Princess Cruises’ 360 Experience. The cruise line had launched the exclusive culinary adventure only weeks before in November.

Secret menus have become a phenomenon where fast food and high-end restaurants have unadvertised selections that guests discover by word of mouth. Princess Cruises has taken that to a new level with the 360 Experience. Like a secret menu, Princess Cruises does not advertise the 90-minute experience, and if guests want to uncover the hidden menu and wine pairings, they must try them for themselves. Princess hosted the journalists to help spread the word but asked them not to give away any special surprises.

After complimentary cocktails in one of the ship’s specialty restaurants – the only part of the event that journalists were allowed to photograph – a woman in a long, sleek, sequined dress appeared. As she walked toward the group, the musician played a classical version of the Love Boat Theme on a finely tuned violin. The guests, limited to 20 for each occasion, followed her in Pied Piper fashion to the entry of the 360 Experience venue disguised as an emergency exit.

The undercover 360 Experience is an invitation-only affair offered as a surprise to suite-category guests sailing on Discovery Princess and, as of this month, Enchanted Princess. Producers of the 360 Experience designed it to capture all the senses – even touch – in a culinary surround-sound, IMAX-like, personalized VIP event.

After the journalists and others entered the cloaked venue, servers directed them to assigned seats on a circular dining counter. All faced the center of the round-shaped room where a master of ceremonies/sommelier led them through seven courses of perfectly-plated gourmet Mediterranean food and paired libations. Throughout, a bevy of professional servers placed and poured unobtrusively.

LED displays wrapped the rotunda’s walls and stereo speakers surrounded the diners, hence the 360 nomenclature. Meanwhile, 4K cinematography captured sweeping views of Santorini, Amalfi Coast, Barcelona and Provence, all popular Mediterranean destinations.

And, as one might imagine, servers impeccably synchronized each of the courses featuring local ingredients and wines with stories and interviews with artisans, growers and vintners filmed at the destination. A fictional Princess Cruises seafarer knitted together the stories as if sharing from her travel journal. Actress Brooke Shields portrayed the traveler who takes 360 Experience guests along on her journey of discovery. The storytelling, evocative images, sounds, fragrances and, of course, tastes and touch immersed guests into the four Mediterranean cultures. Princess Cruises called it “the most epic experience ever offered.”

“Being gluten-free, I sometimes miss out on certain plates when fine dining. However, this was not the case with the 360 Experience,” said Mary Farah, who writes about finding the best gluten-free places while traveling at Along Comes Mary. “I got to enjoy everything that the rest of the guests did, including a pasta course. Not only is it an ‘extraordinary experience,’ but Princess has gone above and beyond to ensure that all who take this culinary voyage can enjoy every aspect of it.”

Farah was one of four International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) journalists who gathered for the exceptional media event. They included IFWTWA Board members Amy Piper and Stacey Wittig and general members Farah and Lorena Lopez.

Lopez, who publishes Luxury Solo Travel, commented afterward, “The 360 experience made me feel like I was immersed in a luxurious full sensory adventure of delightful tastes, sights, smells and sounds that every solo traveler needs to experience!”

“When taking in the 360 dining experience on the Discovery Princess, expect the unexpected,” said Amy Piper of Follow the Piper travel blog. But, true to form, the East Lansing, Michigan writer remained tight-lipped about the special surprises.

360 is currently available exclusively for guests booked in suite accommodations on Discovery Princess and Enchanted Princess or for guests sailing on the Discovery Princess or Enchanted Princess that book a future cruise with suite accommodations on any Princess ship, including Princess Premier, at non-cancelable rates. Guests may also gain invitation access from participation in specific “VIP” casino gaming and retail event sailings. QCBN

By Stacey Wittig, QCBN

To learn more about Princess Cruises, contact your local travel agency.

2022 Best of Business Winners

By Leave a Comment

2022 Best of Business Winners

Quad Cities Business News asked you to vote for the Quad Cities’ area Best of Business. We all do business with a variety of companies in Prescott, Prescott Valley, Dewey/Humboldt, and Chino Valley. This was your opportunity to tell us which businesses you think are the best in the categories designated. To see the 2022 winners in every category, visit the following.

See the Winners

Tapping into Intuition, Recognizing Miracles

By Leave a Comment

Highly intuitive people like Hathcock say miracles happen all around us.

Have you ever thanked your “lucky stars” for something going your way, or thought, “What a coincidence!” when an expert showed up with the information or equipment you needed at that moment? Perhaps you simply have remarked, “That was a miracle!”

I like to think of these instances as actual miracles, wonderful things that happen to us that we really wanted to have happen, or situations and events that turned out better than we could have imagined.

Author, children’s furniture maker and psychic detective Kiersten Hathcock says her intuition has become a roadmap for her life and, I would add, it can lead us to good things, like miracles. Aside from hard work and perseverance, I commonly hear businesspeople attributing their success to a feeling or a hunch that they acted upon.

Hathcock’s extraordinary last decade or so has been all about following her intuition. In 2011, she was living in Los Angeles with her husband, Scott, and their two children. She wanted to find a toy box that would match their mid-century modern furniture and something fun their kids would use. She couldn’t find what she was looking for, but something inside told her she could build it herself.

At the time, Hathcock was not a carpenter. Nevertheless, she bought a circular saw anyway, watched demonstrations online and turned her garage into a woodshop. She became so good at making children’s furniture, celebrities like Matthew McConaughey and Christina Applegate ordered custom toy boxes for their kids. By following her intuition, or calling, Hathcock was unknowingly deepening her intuitive abilities. As she says, “Learning to use your intuition is like training a muscle.”

Miraculously, as she was covered in sawdust and coaxing pieces of wood into furniture for little ones, the spirits of children began visiting her. Upon investigation, she learned these were deceased children who had been murdered and often sexually abused. She would see them, hear their voices and feel their touch. Sometimes they would communicate to her through a sensation – a tug on her ponytail might mean to keep looking for a clue; pressure on her throat could indicate strangulation.

In this way, Hathcock began volunteering to help detectives solve cold cases and bring closure to families. In many cases, Hathcock’s connections would provide comfort to grieving parents with messages of assurance and love. What a miracle.

Today, while designing little tables, chairs and toy boxes for her Mod Mom Furniture company, volunteering as an intuitive medium and working with law enforcement officers to help unravel long unsolved mysteries, Hathcock also teaches young people and adults tips to help them tune into their own intuition.

Here are three:

  1. Pay attention to where your mind goes while your body is doing something that is familiar to you, like driving a car, taking a shower or sanding wood. “Think back to some of your best ideas and what you were doing when they showed up,” she said. “I’ve found that when you’re doing something with your physical body, like taking a walk in the ponderosa pine forest, it helps you get into a state of mind that is conducive to receiving intuitive guidance. Simply knowing this will help you recognize what your intuition is telling you while you’re just moving about your life.”
  2. Ask for guidance through dreams. “Your sleep state is a closer vibration to your ‘guides’ spirits or your subconscious higher self,” she said. And I’m so glad she points this out because I know that when I am wrestling with a decision or trying to solve a difficult or complicated problem, I will commonly have a very vivid and symbolic dream. When I wake up, I’ll be amused of course, but also completely astonished by the new clarity and sometimes will say out loud to the universe, “Got it. Thank you.”
  3. Become aware of your body’s intuitive signals. “When I was awakening to my intuitive skills, I felt more sensations and emotions than I initially saw or heard,” said Hathcock. “Chills were, and still are, a very strong intuitive signal for me. Mainly, they alert me to the truth.”

Highly intuitive people like Hathcock say miracles happen all around us. It’s up to us to recognize our intuitive voice and listen to the messages our brains and bodies are telling us that can lead us to them. QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

To hear Hathcock’s fascinating transformational journey and how her intuitive skills freed her from a dangerous situation and also saved the life of a New York City private detective, watch my interview with Kiersten Hathcock on “Zonie Living: Business, Adventure and Leadership” at StarWorldWideNetworks.com Her memoir, “Little Voices – How Kids in Spirit Helped a Reluctant Medium Escape and Heal from Abuse,” is available through Amazon and at stores like Target and Walmart. For more information, visit modmomfurniture.com.

Bonnie Stevens is a public relations consultant. She can be reached at bonnie.stevens@gmail.com.

Top Evergreen Shrubs of Winter

By Leave a Comment

Here are the Top 15 most popular evergreen shrubs planted through winter.

Autumn colors are spectacular. The colors and textures are unique to the four seasons of the Mountain West. As we lose the last autumn leaves, the landscape can feel naked and bare. Deciduous plants, which lose their leaves through winter, often expose you to prying eyes, vehicle glare, and a yard that feels empty. Evergreens take center stage for the next few months, and you can feel when the landscape doesn’t have the right mix of evergreen trees and shrubs.

Not to worry, you will find the best selection of winter evergreens at your garden center now, and it’s an excellent time to plant one of your own.

Here are the Top 15 most popular evergreen shrubs planted through winter.

Blue Star Juniper– This is strictly a foliage plant. If you like the look of a blue spruce tree but lack the space for something that big, merely scale down and grow a Blue Star Juniper. With its short blue needles, it looks terrific when planted next to shrubs with golden foliage.

Boxwood – is a small, rounded evergreen that forms tufts of growth resembling clouds if left unpruned. This slow-growing dwarf form is ideal for edging borders along pathways or around flower beds. Well-suited for topiary and containers and resistant to boxwood leaf miners.

Euonymous – is the most popular of the hedge plants. Although its bright year-round foliage appears almost festive, this plant is tough as they come. An ideal hedge can be sheared or left to grow into a natural form dense enough to make an excellent visual and sound barrier. For long hedgerows, a combination of the two varieties creates a more exciting entity.

Gilt Edge Silverberry – A splendid Arizona native, this shrub sports a combination of golden-yellow margins on bright green foliage that provides incredible year-round landscape interest. It’s superb as a hedge or low screen that tolerates heat and wind and requires little maintenance. Tiny, fragrant, silvery flowers followed by ornamental red fruit. Impervious to both javelina and deer.

Heavenly Bamboo – is evergreen with bright red highlights through winter. Bamboo-shaped foliage is graced with clusters of white flowers in spring that form red berries as summer heat arrives. Think versatility with this 3-foot-tall plant, as it is happy in any amount of sun, most soils, and tolerates any amount of cold or heat.

Holly – is a broadleaf evergreen that usually grows 6’ to 8’ tall. The holly leaves develop a darker color that contrasts nicely against the bright red berries. Perfect for north-facing borders, screens, hedges and for foundation plantings. Easy to grow and impervious to mountain wildlife.

Indian Hawthorn – This easy-to-grow evergreen produces vast clusters of fragrant, pearl-pink flowers. Perfect for planting along driveways and parking medians where reflected heat is an issue for many other plants. This spring-blooming evergreen loves Arizona heat!

Mint Julip Juniper – is perfect for large hedges, privacy screens and specimen plantings. It is so tolerant of salt, it can be used near sidewalks, driveways and roadways. It is rarely damaged by animals, such as deer, javelina, elk and packrats.

Mugho Pine – with its dense, symmetrical growth and compact, rounded form, this dwarf pine is perfect for confined spaces. Stunning green foliage takes on a golden hue during colder months. Its slow habit makes this evergreen an ideal specimen in smaller gardens or massed to make a bold statement in more significant landscapes.

Oregon Grape Holly – is the perfect mountain evergreen often mistaken for holly. Solar yellow flowers cover the entire plant in spring, followed by a summer berry that is attractive and edible. Heading into winter, the leaves turn a mixed cranberry and orange color that remains until spring blooms. This plant loves sun, heat, wind and requires less water than many natives.

Privet – has the same look as photinia but may be a better choice for a residential landscape. Growing to only six feet high, it forms a thick, dark green hedge. The waxy leaves retain moisture within the plant’s structure. The result is a lower maintenance hedge with lower water needs and fewer bug problems than its red-tipped counterpart.

Red Cluster Berry Cotoneaster – has white flowers in spring, evolving to red berries that remain on the plant through winter. It is a welcome food source for feathered friends hanging around after welcoming in the new year. Growing 10’ tall and wide, it loves the sun and is easy to grow.

Spreading Yew – has rich green needles that border on black. The 4’ to 6’ spread is used as a hedge, screen or border in a shaded or dapple sunspace. Scarlet berries show off against all the wintergreen and are highly attractive to birds.

Winter Heaths – first-time growers of these alpine evergreens are impressed by their long blooming period. Winter heaths, Erica darleyensis, live up to their name, putting out flowers in the most unlikely season: winter. If the climate and conditions are suitable, they flower from late winter right through spring.

Yucca – Massed together, yuccas form an impressive display during their bloom period. Garland’s Gold and Golden Sword are bold choices with or without remarkable flowers.

Until next month, I’ll be helping local gardeners plant the best evergreens here at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain can be found at Watters Garden Center throughout the week, 1815 W. Iron Springs Road in Prescott, or contacted through his websites at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Shrubs.com.

Former City Hall to Become Site for Proposed Prescott Common

By Leave a Comment

The existing structure, built in 1962, will be demolished.

The winning bid of $2.5 million submitted by Stroh Architecture won that firm the right to buy the land and submit a redevelopment plan that proposes a five-story building with a restaurant, hotel and apartment space.

The project currently is called Prescott Common.

The firm was selected unanimously by the Prescott City Council Tuesday, Oct. 18.

Since then, Principal Architect Douglas Stroh and company representatives have met several times with city officials and other parties for discussions about how the redevelopment will be planned and implemented.

Located on prime property in downtown Prescott at the corner of Cortez and Goodwin Street, the 1.3-acre parcel is designed to contain a 20,000-square-foot hotel with 100 hotel suites and 50 apartment units on the top two floors. The proposal also includes some underground parking. Stroh said he hopes to integrate into the new design the existing historic rearing horse and cowboy statue that currently is showcased in front of the former City Hall building.

The existing structure, built in 1962, will be demolished.

Born in Millard, Nebraska, Stroh attended the University of Nebraska, where he earned a degree in architecture. For 32 years, the resident architect has worked in the Prescott area. He also has served on the Prescott Preservation Commission. His local efforts have included the expansion of the Prescott Public Library, the Prescott Adult Center on Rosser Street and a major renovation of the Prescott Resort on Highway 69.

Prescott City Councilmember Eric Moore commented that the recently sold City Hall building was not able to meet the demands of the community and he agrees with the proposal to redevelop the site to meet existing and urgent needs.

Stroh told Quad Cities Business News that his public relations representative Danielle Feroleto, founder-owner of Small Giants, handled many of the inquiries he was receiving about the redevelopment proposal. The architecture firm and associates are considering how the proposed redevelopment could best reflect the frontier and territorial tradition of Prescott.

The project is expected to be reviewed by the Prescott Preservation Commission after the first of the year. In the meantime, the project development team is putting together a website that will provide updates to the public.

The $2.5 million Stroh paid for the former City Hall property has been earmarked to pay a portion of the loan the City of Prescott received to renovate the new City Hall property at 201 N. Montezuma Street. QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

Arizona Family Jewelry Business Announces the End of an Era

By Leave a Comment

Raskin’s Jewelers closing soon in Prescott.

The entire stock of Raskin’s Jewelers is being liquidated. That’s not just diamonds and other precious stones, or men’s and women’s premium watches; it’s also fixtures, furniture, cabinets, engraving equipment, laser welder – everything in the building – ending a 76-year era in Arizona with the closure of one of Prescott’s premier downtown businesses.

Greg Raskin, the affable owner of Raskin’s Jewelers, told Quad Cities Business News, “You know, I can’t begin to tell you how many people have told me things like, ‘My grandparents got their engagement and wedding rings at Raskin’s. My parents got theirs there, too. And so did we.’”

Raskin’s grandfather, Melvin Raskin, came to Arizona after World War II and opened the family’s first jewelry store at Central and Adams in downtown Phoenix. “My father, Lynn Raskin, moved to Prescott in 1963, where he opened a store in what was then Park Plaza Shopping Center on Goodwin Street,” said Greg. “Over the years, my family has operated stores in four different locations in Prescott, but our now historic location is smack-dab across the street from the Courthouse Plaza on Gurley. Been there since the late ‘60s.”

Following the holiday liquidation sales, Greg and his wife, Renee, will close the doors one last time. “Now, absolutely everything is for sale, and the bargains will be unbelievable,” he said. More than $4 million in merchandise is on sale, some at discounts of up to 70% off. All sales are final.

Noted Western artist and sculptor Bill Nebecker and his wife, Merry, talk about how much the Raskins have helped with charitable causes such as Big Brothers Big Sisters. The Nebeckers purchased their wedding rings in 1963 from Raskin’s. “The Raskins have offered the community unbelievable friendship and support,” said Bill. Merry added, “These people are like family to the entire town.”

Praise for the Raskins and their impact on the area comes not only from their fellow businesses but also the education community. “Greg and Renee Raskin give back so much to the community,” said Prescott Unified School District Education Foundation Executive Director Paul Kirchgraber. “We are thrilled they will remain here after the closing of Raskin’s Jewelers. They have been wonderful supporters of PUSD and its foundation for years. After all, Greg was a 1984 high school graduate and Renee was a former administrator at PUSD. They have a strong commitment to public education and community achievements to the entire community.”

Raskin grew up working in the store after school and during holidays with his dad. He then attended the University of Arizona, graduating in 1988. He then worked for a corporate retail management firm in Washington, D.C., but decided to return home in 1991. He and Renee have owned and managed the store since. Greg’s mother, Arlene, still works in the store occasionally. Greg and Renee say their two adults sons, Alex and Drew, have no interest in continuing the jewelry business. The Raskins said they want to retire while they are healthy, while business is good and while they still have time to do things on their own terms.

Renee will continue working as chief deputy for the Yavapai County Education Service Agency. Prior to that, she had worked as chief financial officer for the PUSD.

“We love Prescott,” said Greg. “We have great friends and I want to mountain bike even more – my favorite activity.”

He says the relationships that formed and developed through the years are key to Raskin’s Jewelers’ success. “I loved getting to know our clients and their families over multiple generations.” QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

Poco Diablo Unveils Willows Kitchen in Time for Holiday Cheer

By Leave a Comment

The Zagat award-winning chef sources seasonal ingredients for the higher-end New American cuisine found on the new Willows Kitchen + Wine Bar menu.

Poco Diablo Resort has opened its new restaurant, Willows Kitchen + Wine Bar, as part of a phased $22 million renovation. Although the restaurant had a soft opening Sept. 15, it recently hosted journalists for a preview tasting of the winter menu and pairings with wines from the restaurant’s extensive collection. The tasting showcased Old World and New World wines along with an Arizona white blend.

The resort, one of the first in Sedona, sits on the historic Chavez homestead. In this same pocket of meadowland, Marguerite Brunswig Staude, who commissioned the famed Chapel of the Holy Cross, lived on Doodlebug Ranch in the 1940s. The one-of-a-kind setting in Sedona’s Red Rock Country makes it an enchanting place to celebrate the winter holidays or any season.

Earlier this year, the resort brought in Chef Evan Campbell to refresh the menu for the redesigned space. Chef Evan promises to keep fan favorites such as the Firecracker Shrimp that delivers a sweet-hot punch with sriracha sauce. Paired as a starter with a Riesling from Alsace, France, the dry honey quality of the wine and crisp minerality mitigate the heat.

But it’s the young chef’s innovation that shines through in the following six courses. “Sedona attracts people who are wellness-minded,” said the chef, who oversees conference and meeting catering. “We get lots of requests for vegan. Some of the favorites we’ve tested on the banquet menu have now made it to the restaurant menu.”

The Zagat award-winning chef sources seasonal ingredients for the higher-end New American cuisine found on the new Willows Kitchen + Wine Bar menu. For instance, the chef brought his penchant for seafood to light with mussels in the brilliant Thai chili coconut soup. The soup’s multi-layered flavoring, so renowned in Thai cooking, was balanced with a pinch of brown sugar. The chef and sommelier paired the spicy soup served in an artisan ceramic bowl with a Sinegal sauvignon blanc from Napa. Sommelier Nikki Stevenson, a native Arizonan, joined the Poco Diablo team after working in California and Nevada.

The team emphasizes a commitment to exemplary customer experiences. “We have several families who have three generations employed here since the ‘70s when Poco Diablo first opened,” said Sales and Marketing Director David Folkeson.

In course two, Chef Evan, who received his formal training at Le Cordon Bleu, showcased his vegan crabcake created from chickpea and mashed artichoke hearts.

Lobster risotto served with a French white wine preceded the braised duck breast paired with a Monpiano Italian red. Sides included apple bacon, Brussels sprouts and potato hash. Melt-in-your-mouth Hoison Orange Braised Short Ribs were presented with bok choy and sesame cheddar grits.

Chef Evan is no stranger to grits. He spent many months in New Orleans, where he cooked in various kitchens to learn the concepts of the unique Cajun and Creole cuisines. As a result, he’ll be bringing shrimp and grits with gumbo gravy to the breakfast menu in the future. “It’s the perfect remedy for a hangover for those who know,” said Lori Tucker, president of the public relations company that represents Poco Diablo Resorts.

The finale of the chef-tasting dinner was a flourless torte with Italian meringue and raspberries. The Amero Montenegro brought out with the dessert not only aided digestion, but also helped extend dinner conversations. QCBN

By Stacey Wittig, QCBN

For more information about Willows Kitchen + Wine Bar in Sedona, visit www.willowskitchensedona.com.

Thinking About Selling Your Business?

By Leave a Comment

There are many ways to sell your business and it is important to have a creative team to help you structure the transaction.

The time has finally come and you’re ready to sell your business. Planning for the sale of a small business may seem daunting. Perhaps you’re not sure where to begin or how to go about selling a business. To make the process as easy and profitable as possible, you’ll want to start planning early. Having time on your side can really pay off when selling a business. Whether you’re ready to retire or just move on to a new venture, here are a few important steps to keep in mind.

Key Steps Before the Sale

Selling a business requires a lot of planning. As you begin the process, it’s important to focus on the step you’re in and the long-term objective. Otherwise, you may end up making short-term decisions that go against your ultimate plan. Here’s an overview of the process and post-sale considerations.

Get Organized, Know Your Numbers

The first step is to get your business financials in order. Clean up your books, prepare financial statements and projections, and compile key metrics for your industry. Understand the numbers. What is the financial position of the business? Are there outstanding liabilities? What is the relative growth in gross sales and net income? What is the number of customers? What is the business’s relative size? How does it align with your forward projections? You must be able to answer and justify the question: Why would a buyer want to buy this business?

Again, this is why it’s best to start as early as possible, so you have time to make adjustments. Perhaps you use cash to refinance, pay down debt or cash out minority shareholders. Even if you don’t need to make any substantive changes, messy or incomplete books can kill the deal before it even gets started.

Gather Your Team of Advisors

When selling a business, having a team of trusted advisors around you is crucial. Here’s why: Chances are you haven’t sold a business before and likely won’t again. We don’t know what we don’t know and you only have one shot to get this right.

In planning for the sale, get your team of business and personal advisors in place ahead of time. Your business advisory team may consist of a business broker/investment banker, valuation expert, accountant, tax advisor and transaction/M&A attorney. On the personal side, your financial advisor, estate planning attorney and CPA/tax advisor should be involved throughout the process.

There’s a lot of complexity to consider: structure of the deal, ways to retain key employees, tax planning, cash flow planning post-close, etc., so it’s very important to work with a team of specialists that can help you navigate your options. Many sellers of a business will carry a portion of the sale via a promissory note to help the buyer finance the purchase. Are you willing and able to do so?

What is Your Business Worth?

Understand the real-world value of your business in the current market by working with a valuation expert, business broker or investment banker. When wondering how to sell your business, ask what buyers would be willing to pay today. There are general rules of thumb and industry standards that can give you a general idea of value, but every business is unique and there are many factors that must be considered when determining real value. A good advisor can help you strengthen the components of your business that will add to its ultimate sale value.

Define Your Goals, Financial Needs

Before going too far down the path of exploring all the ways to sell your business, first consider your goals for the transaction. Do you want to sell 100% of the company at closing and walk away with the cash? Do you want to pass the business to family members or employees? Are you willing to keep working for three to five years after selling all or a portion of the business? How important is it that the brand continue? What are your cash needs?

There are many ways to sell your business and it is important to have a creative team to help you structure the transaction. But there’s no sense in spending time on options that don’t align with your objectives or financial needs. So, before getting enmeshed in a complex deal structure and attempting tax-minimization strategies, take stock of your wants and needs.

As a business owner, your focus has been on running and growing the company. When selling your business, it’s imperative to take steps to plan for your personal financial future and to utilize the right expertise to help you ensure the highest value for your business. QCBN

By Nick Malouff

Nick Malouff, CEO and owner of BHGRE BloomTree Realty, specializes in commercial and business sales. To contact Nick, call 928-925-2023.

Candle Business Moves Back to the Future

By Leave a Comment

Creative couple moves business back to Prescott.

Their allure is legendary. The mystery and beauty of candles hold a cherished place in human history, dating back to the ancient cultures of the Egyptians.

Today, candles are traditionally used to decorate birthday cakes, create a romantic mood for a special meal and to mark all manner of solemn and meaningful ceremonies.

In modern Arizona, the husband-and-wife owners of the Armadilla Wax Works, Kent Buttermann and Denise Jenike, have long worked to preserve and expand the ancient charms of the candle. Working side-by-side, Buttermann is the master candle maker and Jenike creates the retail displays throughout the store to showcase candles in their best light.

Moving from a business site in Prescott Valley in mid-May, the owners have relocated to a space on Highway 69 in Prescott, a kind of “back to the future” story because the business operated in this Prescott location some 20-plus years ago.

Advertised as “the one and only Armadilla Wax Works,” the store move is beautifully timed to synchronize with the busy holiday season.

“Holiday traditions may include family gatherings, gift giving and helping with community outreach and events,” she said. “The Armadilla Wax Works is happy to be a part of Arizona’s Christmas City official designation.”

The company’s signature Christmas Morning scented candles are an annual tradition. Visitors and shoppers to the mile-high city look for pine scented pinecone candles or snowball-shaped candles with their gentle ‘Snowy Night’ fragrance. Stunning centerpiece designs feature seasonal candle colors and fragrances for home decor and gifts.

The company’s retail store on Highway 69 and the web store both offer shipping.

Other popular products in the store include artisan crafted natural soaps and lotions, hand-dipped dinner taper candles, hand-cut tin luminaries by Cindy Wolf, colorful fused glass votive candle holders, precision laser cut puzzles and “Mistaken Lyric” cork coasters made in Austin, Texas.

The store website comments on the charms of Armadilla Wax Works: “A candle store may not be an official essential business, but we have found that candlelight does provide a warm and welcoming glow and along with listening to your favorite music, a nice aroma helps create a relaxing ambiance.”

There is also a lot of hard work behind creating a successful candle business. “Everything we make we design ourselves,” Jenike said. “All of our candle molds are our own designs. The molds give the candles the texture, the size and the designs we want.”

Buttermann hand crafts candles in the workshop in the store, apart from the retail section. The production area is not open to the public, but he occasionally invites guests in to see what he is making.

He says candle making is both a science and an art and involves learning the techniques of making silicone molds and researching the types and properties of paraffin wax.

With his lifelong experience, Buttermann has combined the best materials to master the craft with artistry. He uses only highly refined wax, clean burning cotton braided wicks and quality fragrances. “Candlelight doesn’t just happen. It’s made to happen,” he said.

The variety of designs have evolved through the years from decorative floating candles to pillar candles, both scented and unscented, in Southwestern styles of texture and color.

In addition to being an auspicious business location, Prescott proved a good place to raise a family. The couple has three sons who grew up in the business and have now moved on to pursue their interests. Their oldest son, Charlie, who worked in the retail store and later in wholesale sales, now lives in Austin, Texas. Twin brothers, Matt and Dan, live in different cities in the state of New York and both are musicians and teachers, perhaps following in their dad’s footsteps, as he was a member of the Kiwanis Jug Band and played annually during the J.S. Acker Music Showcase in downtown Prescott.

The history of the Armadilla candle business goes back a long time. The couple met while attending Arizona State University, where both studied photography. They started their candle business in Tempe in 1971, working with two other friends. They were part of a thriving arts and crafts scene that revitalized a downtrodden downtown area with lively new stores and street fairs.

“I was still going to ASU, so I participated when I could,” Jenike recalled.

“The name, Armadilla, was conceived in fun by all three and became the inspiration for the logo. Making candles was a popular idea at the time, along with other crafts such as making products with leather, clay and wood.”

As sole owners, after their partners moved on to other endeavors, the couple sought more space and a sense of a hometown community by moving both family and business to Prescott in 1984.

“We sort of rediscovered Prescott because we had done some arts fairs downtown there,” Jenike said.

Settling happily into the Highway 69 site, business was good until an electrical fire in the middle of the night in the early 1990s forced a move from the location.

In the following years, other locations were explored, on Montezuma Street in downtown Prescott and in Prescott Valley, as well as operating an outlet in downtown Flagstaff. But, the draw to return to the original location in Prescott proved strong and they “are happy to be settled now back in Prescott,” Jenike said. QCBN

By Betsey Bruner, QCBN 

Reaping What They Sew

By Leave a Comment

Sew-n-Sew has not only lasted, but it is thriving, as it has continued to grow since its opening.

Sew-n-Sew Fabric, Notions and More has been open for about two years, but owners Roxanne and Russ Hull just celebrated their grand opening Oct. 6.

They say the timing wasn’t right two years ago because we were in the middle of the pandemic, but the timing is ideal now because Roxanne retired from her career at Yavapai Regional Medical Center, working in community outreach for 16 years.

“I wanted to make sure we were going to last,” Roxanne said about not having the grand opening sooner.

Roxanne, who was raised in the Chino Valley area, said she has wanted to work full time on Sew-n-Sew for 30 years. “I was tired of going into Prescott for fabric,” she said.

Sew-n-Sew has not only lasted, but it is thriving, as it has continued to grow since its opening.

The store sells fabrics, notions, upholstery, pins, snaps and buckles. The Hulls also offer classes on sewing and quilting and provide alterations.

Russ watched the shop while Roxanne was doing her day job. He built the shelving and performs his favorite task, which is repairing sewing machines.

“We continue to get new people every day,” Roxanne said.

Sew-n-Sew is prepared for the holidays. They obtain most of their quilts from Undercovering Quilts, another business in Chino Valley.

Sew-n-Sew will offer a class for men in January. Russ also enjoys quilting. Recently, he made a quilt to use in cars for a friend. QCBN

By Stan Bindell, QCBN

For more information about Sew-n-Sew, call 928-636-3769, email sewnsew@yahoo.com or visit sewnsew4u.com.