D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
October
2008
Rock On
From ancient fossils to modern "flaming rock" decorative items, Royal Scepter mineral shop and museum gathers no moss. Plus: Civic Center replaces Teleperformance, AmBank gets acquired, Walgreen's buys a liquor license, Las Cruces Limos parks for good, The Beach is reborn and more.
"People bring in chunks of this all the time, asking if I know what it is. I can spot it across the parking lot, as soon as they get out of their car," she says with a laugh. "You can feel how heavy it is for its size," she adds, offering the rock for hefting. "It's magnetite, and it's really common here. But they're convinced they've found a meteorite and it's hard sometimes to convince them that it's not. I even call it 'meteor-wrong,' get it?" she adds with another laugh. "And there's fool's gold, too. Now that's a disappointment when I have to tell them it isn't real!"
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Sylveen Robinson-Cook
in Royal Scepter, the Silver City rock and mineral store she co-owns with her husband, Kevin Cook. (Photo by Donna Clayton Lawder) |
This month, Robinson-Cook and her husband, Kevin Cook, celebrate five years of owning the Royal Scepter. The business sells rocks and minerals in many forms, including carved gift items and gems made into jewelry.
"We bought the business from Susan Lynch, Judy Allen and Lee Stockman, a trio of partners. They owned it for six or seven years, and they had bought it from Marvin Ellis, who was the original founder," Robinson-Cook says. "As you know, Marvin's a lifelong rockhound!"
Ellis, a sculptor in the northwestern corner of Grant County (see "Rock of Ages," July 2007), lived on the property that is now the Royal Scepter, establishing the business some 26 years ago.
Robinson-Cook and her husband, both geologists, met as students at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, aka New Mexico Tech, in Socorro. She hailed from Iowa, he from Ohio. While studying minerals and other aspects of earth science, the two fell in love with each other and New Mexico. Cook landed a job with Chino Mines, enabling the couple to land in Silver City.
While a goodly percentage of the colorful rocks piled outside the shop date back to Marvin Ellis' time, Robinson-Cook says, Royal Scepter has evolved as a business over the years. That includes the development of a rock and mineral museum and a wide array of products for sale.
"This is something new," she says, pointing out a handsome slab of stone with four metal grommet-looking things protruding from its center. "It's a 'flaming rock.' It's a decorative piece that works like a candle. These are wicks," she explains, demonstrating how they lead to the oil compartments underneath. "The stone is New Mexico travertine, and it's actually a renewable resource. It grows two to three inches per year, so there's always more of it being made."
The cream-and-brown slab, with attractive striations and tiny honeycomb-like holes here and there, occurs naturally near area hot springs. Robinson-Cook says she and her husband saw similar products at shows that had been made out of highly polished, dramatically dark stones. They chose to try their hand at fashioning these oil lamps out of the travertine instead, "because it's pleasant to work with and it looks like New Mexico."
Stone items of all kinds sell well at the shop, she adds. "People just like rocks, they like things made out of rocks, and they seem to especially like knowing the story behind their rock," she says. Customers include locals and visitors, from hikers and rockhounds to gift buyers wanting to take home a piece of New Mexico's geologic wonders.
The store has a large inventory of jewelry and jewelry-making items, like strings of polished gems and minerals.
"We make our own creations. Sometimes I'll just sit here making earrings in-between customers," Robinson-Cook says. She pulls out samples of silver chain-mail items and rolls a fine silver chain between her fingers. "This is something Kevin does. He actually knits with the metal. It's painstaking — I wouldn't have the patience! — but he loves doing this intricate kind of stuff."
Royal Scepter also has minerals in their raw, natural form as well as fossils. This part of New Mexico's unique geologic composition makes for many interesting local specimens, and Robinson-Cook says they are a popular seller.
Want to go out and find your own? The shop also sells books and maps. A comfortable chair invites browsers to peruse books on mineral and fossil identification, rockhound sites, lapidary technique, general geology and more.
"We bought out Troutman Survey's stock of topo (topographical) maps. We have maps for the entire southwestern part of the state," Robinson-Cook says.
Royal Scepter also carries the tools a rockhound needs out there — rock hammers, sledges, chisels and pry-bars called "gads," hand lenses to examine the finds and grit to polish the stones.
"We can hardly keep gold pans and rock hammers in stock," Robinson-Cook says.
But though she's an expert in the field of geology, and loves the sheer unique beauty of rocks, Robinson-Cook says her customers are what she loves most about the business.
"There is a constant influx of interesting people," she says. "This area is internationally famous, with some of the biggest mines in the world, so it is known to geologists. Then there's the historical connection, the Billy the Kid connection," she adds with a laugh. "People find us, and they're some of the most fascinating people you'd ever want to meet."
She describes some of the geologists and other scientists who have come to Royal Scepter's door from around the world. Visitors vary from a European scientist who makes the trek every year to a Tibetan monk.
"We love it here, and this is a great place to own a business like this," Robinson-Cook says. "People coming here tend to be naturalists. They're respectful of the earth and excited over what we have here, rock-wise."
To generate and encourage new rocks lovers, Robinson-Cook says she and her husband are big on educational outreach. Last month, she made a presentation to a group through the Western Institute for Lifelong Learning, WILL ("Where There's a WILL," September 2008).
"We talk to the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, high-school science classes," Robinson-Cook
says. "We do something come Earth Day and through the Silver City Museum.
We go to all the elementary schools. Fourth grade is earth science, and by
the time we get into the classroom, the kids have all their rocks lined up
and they're so excited, asking, 'What's this? What's this?' That's always a
ton of fun."
UpdatesRoyal Scepter, 1805 Little Walnut Road, Silver City, 538-9001. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; open Saturdays in the fall and holiday season. www.royalscepter.com, royalsceptergems@yahoo.com
Though Silver City lost its Teleperformance Call Center at the end of August — and its 137 jobs — the building itself will not sit empty for long. Grant County commissioners voted to buy the building for $2.9 million, securing it for the development of the Grant County Civic Center, a project that found itself in the lurch after the sudden death of state Sen. Ben Altamirano late last year. In 2007, Altamirano had secured a $2.5 million appropriation for the center, originally envisioned as a $4 million construction project. State Sen. Howie Morales, appointed by Governor Bill Richardson in January, secured an additional $125,000 for the project this year. By purchasing an existing building, county officials hope the monies already appropriated will allow the project to take shape sooner. According to Grant County Manager Jon Paul Saari, the center originally was to be a 27,000-square-foot building, constructed on county-owned land with little acreage. The Teleperformance building is a 66,000-square-foot building on eight acres — not what was originally envisioned, but providing more space at a lower price tag. A plus would be the conference rooms and workspaces already in place, Saari says, which would allow parts of the building to be used right away for meetings and conferences. Ace Hardware occupies the west side of the building, generates more than $100,000 per years in lease revenue and is in the first years of its 10-year lease. The county also hopes to use the property, which has a sizable parking lot, as a Corre Caminos bus terminal. More than $1 million already has been set aside for the bus terminal project. The building is owned by a group of Missouri-based investors, Southwest Telecom, LLC, and is represented by Smith Real Estate agents Court Hall, Richard Choate and Judy Ward, a Silver City town councilor.
Silver City's Walgreen's has taken a step closer to reality. Public records show that the drugstore, slated to occupy space on Hwy. 180, has purchased a liquor license from an Albertson's grocery in Alamogordo for $600,000.
First Artesia Bancshares Inc., and its subsidiary, the First National Bank of Artesia, have acquired AmFin Holding Co. of Silver City, which owns AmBank, with branches at 1609 N. Swan St. in Silver City, 102 Hurley Ave. in Bayard, and 512 Carrasco Ave. in Hurley. AmBank will keep its name and board of directors. A spokesperson for First Artesia says that while that institution is larger than AmBank, the entity still is a community bank, and that customers should notice no changes in services. A spokesperson at AmBank in Silver City confirmed that shareholders approved the purchase at the end of last month. And the growth continues: Everett Crawford, chairman and chief executive officer of First National Bank of Artesia, says the company plans to build a new operation center in Las Cruces as well as a new bank branch and a branch in Chaparral. The operation center will be at 223 Idaho Ave., and is expected to cost about $2.5 million. Work on that 12,000-square-foot facility has started already and the project should be finished in six or seven months. Another Las Cruces branch is planned within the next 18 months on Sonoma Ranch Boulevard, near Sonoma Elementary School.
As the late, great comedian Gilda Radner used to say, Never mind! Although Mesilla Park's Bella Bridal, 5585 S. Main St., has been holding a "Liquidation Sale," the store will stay put. Megan Hopkins writes to say, "We actually are no longer closing, we are now just trying to get our overstock out." Gowns, shoes and jewelry sets continue on sale at deep discount, making way for holiday duds and winter wedding wear. 527-4000.
Pimp My Ride?
Las Crucens looking to ride in style lost one option a few weeks back when Las Cruces Limousine Service abruptly closed without notice. Businesses are supposed to tell the city about a closure, though often they don't, as was the situation in this case, according to city officials. In the case of Las Cruces Limo, not even customers with jobs lined up were notified, according to media reports, leaving at least one bride scrambling to find last-minute replacement transportation in time for her wedding. A notice on the business' door stated, "Due to circumstances beyond our control, Las Cruces Limousine Service, Inc., and LCL Taxi Service, has closed. Further information will be available at a later date. We are sorry of any inconvenience." The owner of the company has stated that a vehicle accident last year prompted the limo company's insurance premiums to double, from roughly $20,000 to $40,000, leaving him unable to get the necessary insurance to run the business safely. Public records show that the business, located off Amador Avenue on 2321 Westgate Court, was first granted a license to operate in the city in 2002. The company's phone number has been disconnected, and its current one-year license is set to expire Oct. 31. Desert Exposure readers will recall that Las Cruces Limo was the subject of a ride-along article ("Taxi!") in our June 2007 issue.
Perhaps RoadRunner Transit can pick up some of the slack. In mid-September, Las Cruces was awarded $626,650 from the US Department of Transportation to buy more buses, enabling the company to purchase six paratransit vans and a bus that will be added to the city fleet. RoadRunner Transit is headquartered at 1501 E. Hadley Ave. # A. A monthly pass costs only $15. All aboard! 541-2500.
And the tide has come back in for The Beach, the specialty apparel store operated for 14 years by the Villescas family at 2460 S. Locust St. in Las Cruces. Business Exposure reported the store's closure in June. Now, just in time for, well, winter, the sand-and-surf shop has reopened in a new location on University Avenue, in the plaza with Kinko's. If you're planning a holiday trip to a warmer clime, or have someone in Tahiti on your holiday gift list, stop in for 40 percent off deals on most of the store's merchandise, "even on hoodies," says a company spokesman. 521-0532.
New in Town
The baby bird has flown from the nest! Raven Rooney, who has been working at Cienega Spa & Salon in Silver City — and who is, in fact, daughter of that establishment's proprietors, Robin and Pam Hogan — has opened her own salon, Salon Pura Vida, at the corner of Avenida de Mesilla and Main in Las Cruces with stylist partners Roxie Quintana and Kathy Ybarra. The business is an eco-spa, offering all-organic custom-blended mineral make-ups, custom-formulated skin care, facials and hair styling with three certified stylists on staff. Check out the products and services at the business' grand opening Oct. 18, with live music and catered goodies. Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-7 p.m., 524-2494.
Travel writer Richard Mahler, a regular contributor to Desert Exposure, is leading downtown walking tours through his new business, Silver City Walks. 534-4841.
Scentchips is the name of the new aroma shop in Mesilla. The company is based in San Antonio, Texas, where its leaf- and flower-shaped, scented wax chips are made, and has locations in Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and throughout the US. The New Mexico store is located at 2456 Calle de Guadalupe, across from the historic Fountain Theater. 526-1976, info@scentchipsmesillanm.com, scentchipsmesillanm.com
Ready to make it permanent? Derek Cipares has opened Derek's Tattoo Parlor at 404 E. 8th St. in Silver City, offering application of a wide range of artistic tattoo images. Long-time resident Cipares is licensed and has been laying down ink for five years now, and is excited to be opening his first shop. Come down and check out his flash. 590-2567.
Arts Business News
Three enterprising artists — Cynthia (Casey) Luria, Randi Olson and Connie Powers — have started up Silver City Bag Ladies, a business selling all sorts of handcrafted bags. The humorously self-proclaimed "bag ladies" create artisan products using a tight-weave technique, Luria says: "We are experimenting with all sorts of materials, in all sorts of sizes and shapes. I guess you'd say, 'Whatever's your bag!'" The artists will do roving sales at events to sell their products, and soon will have an Internet site, as well. 802 N. B. St., 388-4475, 590-7626.
Tatiana Maria Gallery, 305 N. Bullard St., Silver City, is expanding. Tatiana Maria Kurakin, who co-owns the gallery with her husband, Jim, says they have taken over the space next door to their established gallery, significantly increasing their retail square footage and allowing them to add more internationally flavored decor merchandise, more furniture, including pieces of their own regional-flavored design, and new works by additional artists. 388-4426.
Health-y Businesses
The husband/wife team of Dr. Brad Haire and Leesa Haire has opened the Heartsong Center for Integrative Wellness, an complementary healing facility focusing on Post Traumatic Stress, featuring brain state technology. "It is a brain balancing tool using neural feedback technique, on the cutting edge in this area of treatment," says Leesa Haire. 1302A 32nd St., Silver City. 534-9748.
Vanessa Edwards has opened Rise to Nutrition, a nutrition club at 601 N. Bullard St., Ste. B, in The Hub plaza, next door to Diane's Bakery. First visit to the club is free. "People can have a healthy meal, learn about nutrition and just have fun talking with other people and hanging out," Edwards says. "When you become a member, $5 gets you aloe, tea and then a shake. It's Herbalife products, and you can lose weight or gain weight, whatever you want to do. It's not a diet. It's about learning to eat healthy all the time." Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. 574-7144.
Having purchased the accounts of the recently closed Mountain Air and Las Cruces Medical Supply companies, Arroyo Medical Supply, 2001 E. Lohman, Ste. #107 in Las Cruces, has expanded, opening a Silver City office at 317 E. 16th St. The company offers sales and rentals of all medical items for in-home care. Silver City 522-5500, Las Cruces 621-1193.
The Fountain of Youth Center for Health and Beauty, 2250 Calle de San Albino in Mesilla, has added acupuncture to its slate of rejuvenating products and services.
Around the Home and Office
A bonanza of construction, maintenance and landscaping businesses have recently opened or registered as businesses in Silver City. Charles Sowder is operating Sowder Custom Construction at 100 Racetrack Road, offering single-family residential contracting and remodeling. 534-4683, (602) 980-1169.
Need paint? James Taylor has opened James Taylor Enterprises, a painting and plaster repair business. Taylor has been in the business for over 16 years and his crew will travel up to 100 miles for residential and commercial jobs. 956-3280.
Richard Hernandez is more than happy to send his bad boys to your place. Hernandez operates Bad Boys Landscaping at 117 E. Richard St., offering maintenance and designing of yards to customers throughout Grant County. 956-9993, 956-3623.
And Jake S. James has registered The Green Monster, offering yard maintenance and hauling. James says he may expand into organic gardening and salvage in the coming year. 590-3256.
On the Move
Restless Natives Skate Shop has moved from its Bullard Street location to 211 Hwy. 180 W., near the soon-to-open skate park. Cameron Brand, a part-time employee of Restless Natives, says the park's opening is a little delayed due to the effect of rain on the construction schedule but that the shop's proximity to the park will doubtless be a boon to business when skaters start showing up en masse to vert, hitting the gnar ramps, banks, ledges and rails to go fully sick on and catch some serious air. 388-2125.
Send business news to donna@desertexposure.com