D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
December
2008
Business Exposure
Page: 2A new 16,000-square-foot Walgreen's has opened at 1256 El Paseo Road in Las Cruces, replacing a smaller store on the same street. The store is larger than the chain's standard facility and is open 24 hours a day. The company plans to open two more locations next spring, one on Picacho Avenue and another on East Lohman.
A new Pic Quik has opened on University Ave. in Las Cruces, offering a Subway, a Santa Fe Grill — this one open 24 hours — and a Caliche's. No car wash, though.
Nancy Kelleher has opened Buffalo Creek, selling "ranch-style classics" from an old adobe ranch house on the 880-acre Buckhorn Ranch. "I chose the name because I think buffaloes are bold, spirited and earthy in nature and presence. I like that in home styles as well," says Kelleher. Buffalo Creek specializes in western ranch-style home furnishings and gifts: furniture, vintage Native American rugs, pottery, art and jewelry, decorative furnishings, collectibles and Southwestern art. Buffalo Creek is located on the Mimbres River, at 2910 Hwy. 35, at mile marker three. Open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment. 536-2999.
Bigger and Better
Hidalgo Medical Services recently started offering clinical services out of its new office suite in Copper Medical Plaza, at the corner of Leslie Road and 32nd Street, in the adjoining suite from William Fowler and Karen deGenevieve. Chief financial officer Les Rubin says the company is pleased to have the suite in the Copper Medical Plaza complex to expand its presence and availability to the public. Recently the Copper Medical Plaza group administered free flu shots through its innovative one-day drive-thru flu vaccine program. "We're very active, very busy," Rubin says. "Our new drive-thru flu services this year were extremely successful and we're looking to build on this next flu season, too. It's just the perfect thing, especially for elderly and frail patients, children, too, patients who have difficulty coming into an office. People line up in their cars, we always have cars waiting, and by the time they get to the end of the line, we take their completed forms and give them the shot right there, in their cars." The special one-day program delivered a total of 2,215 vaccines at each facility — 588 at the Copper Medical facility, in cooperation with Fowler and deGenevieve's family practice, 903 at the Med Square Clinic, 188 at the Mimbres health fair, 396 at the Lordsburg Clinic, 75 at the Bayard Clinic and 65 at the Cliff Clinic. The number at the Copper Medical Plaza office is 388-3393.
On the Move. . .
After some 20 years at its South Main Street location, Wendell Hull & Associates has moved to new quarters at 5605 Dona Ana Road in Las Cruces. The company offers accident reconstruction services, oxygen/hydrogen safety engineering and other services. www.wendell-hull.com
Pronto Plumbers, owned by Debbie and Tom Levy, also has left South Main Street, to move into "upgraded quarters" at 1695 Hickory Loop. After two years of building, Debbie Levy says the new office is finally ready for them to start moving in. Copper Ridge Builders, owned by the couple's son-in-law Dustin Mundo, also is moving into the new office space. Pronto Plumbers: 524-9349. Copper Ridge Builders: 621-3030.
Ch-ch-changes
Thanking his customers for 32 years of business, Scott Nichols announced he is retiring and selling Scott Nichols Toyota in Silver City. His wife Michelle Nichols owns the Team Ford dealership, which will stay open. The Toyota franchise held a large liquidation sale last month to clear out inventory rather than transfer stock to the business' new owner, whose identity Nichols has yet to confirm.
As of Jan. 1, Tricia Matheny will no longer be running her business, Tricia's Trinkets, Etc. out of her home but will still be selling through her catalog and Web site. "Instead of 'Avon calling,' it'll be 'Tricia calling'," she says, indicating the door-to-door marketing and delivery method she will employ. Her new phone number will be 519-0027. www.triciastrinketsetc.com
A new Murphy USA gas station and convenience store is under construction at the corner of Valley Drive and Avenida de Mesilla, site of the now-defunct Dairy Queen. This will be the first Murphy gas station in New Mexico; the company has six stores in El Paso. www.murphyusa.com
The Mesilla Valley Inn Las Cruces Hotel & Conference Center has left the Best Western family and is now affiliated with Days Inn. Expect the same solid "business as usual" with some upgrades to the property, according to sales and marketing manager T'rassa Brown. www.mesillavalleyinn.com
You can still kinda "cowboy up" — Corral West Ranchwear at the Mesilla Valley Mall is now a Boot Barn. Yee-haw!
Tough All Over
The rough economic times are being reflected in businesses and industries across the nation with downsizings, layoffs and closures. Grant County's Chino Mines laid off 95 employees last month. Richard Peterson, spokesman for Freeport-McMoRan, Chino Mines' parent company, says the move was in response to market conditions.
And Albuquerque-based furniture retailer American Home has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection while it attempts to restructure its business. The company, which employs 650 people and operates five stores in New Mexico, including the one in Las Cruces, and six in Arizona, says it is being affected by the national decline in home sales, the credit crunch hitting businesses and individuals and the overall decrease in consumer spending.
Going, Going, Gone...
Broadway Boutique, at the corner of Broadway and Bullard in Silver City, is going out of business. A Fall Sale to liquidate stock is going on now while stocks of fine decor items last. 116 N Bullard St. 534-1114.
A sign out front says that the quirky little Deming business Jackass Junction has closed. Well that kicks!
It's the end of the world as we know it, at least as far as Glenn Cutter Jewelers and Gallery is concerned. Owner Steve Boudreau says the 34-year-old store and gallery "will soon cease to exist" in its current form and currently is engaged in a liquidation sale of all jewelry and gift items "while supplies last." See Arts Exposure for more info. 2640 El Paseo Road, 524-4300.
To paraquote Ed Sullivan, "It was a really big shoe." Although Shoe Pavilion had announced after filing for bankruptcy in July that 64 of its stores would remain open, including the one at the Mesilla Valley Mall in Las Cruces, the company has since said that all stores will hold liquidation sales and close.
Guess a cloud of incense smoke and pink light meditations can't obscure red on the books. Funky Karma abruptly went out of business last month, getting an unceremonious heave-ho from its quarters at 207 Avenida de Mesilla in Las Cruces.