D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
July 2009
Business Exposure
Page: 2A new self-serve car wash and coin-operated laundry has opened in Las Cruces at 104 Carver Road, near Tombaugh Elementary School. Dave Hooker and his wife, Traci, runs the Las Cruces-based company, Austy LLC. Hooker also owns the Arroyo Plaza at 2001 E. Lohman Ave. and four Shorty's Food Marts. The Verizon store being built in that plaza opened at the end of last month.
And not to be outdone in the Cruces car wash and laundry market, Quik-Pic magnate Oscar Andrade is opening another Quik-Pic car wash and a coin-operated laundry near South Main Street and Union Avenue. The laundry will open in about three months but the car wash should be open sooner.
On the Move
Follow the trail of rose petals. Lusk Flowers and Gifts has left its Pope Street location to share space with Aunt Judy's Attic, up on Hwy. 180 in Silver City.
In Las Cruces, the Guzman's Greenhouse location on University has closed, consolidating all inventory at its Telshor location. Paul Guzman writes on his blog, "In mid-2008, the land located at 655 University Ave. was sold. Our lease located on the same property will no longer be available. We will have to move our entire stock to our location at 540 Telshor." To avoid having to move thousands of items from one store to the other, the company had a huge inventory sell-down sale last month. Owners Gary and Lydia Guzman currently are looking for land on the west side of the city for a future "Color Your World II" garden center. guzmansgreenhouse.blogspot.com
The Maria Christina studio and art shop has moved from the Old Tortilla Factory in Mesilla to the Ramada Palms Resort at 201 E. University Ave. in Las Cruces. The shop underwent a name change on the way, now called Regalos y Art by Maria Christina. Open seven days, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. 312-9530.
Take Us to Your Leader!
Doug Zilm is now at the helm at the Silver City Food Co-op, serving as the cooperative's new general manager. The Co-op invites its members to welcome Zilm at a reception July 9, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Church of Harmony, located on the corner of 7th and Texas Streets. For more information, call the Co-op at 388-2343.
New in Town
After years of imagining, planning and renovating, JeanAnn Eisenhower has opened Sun & Moon, which she describes as "a friendly little shop," in the building next to her home at 806 W. Market St. (just up the road from the Re-Store). Eisenhower will demonstrate solar cooking every sunny day, Tuesday through Friday (and occasional Saturdays) out in front of the shop. Inside, she'll have items related to solar cooking and a small, eclectic collection of clothes, jewelry, items from Peru, art and more. Look for the little yellow building. Hours will be 11 a.m.-6 p.m. 534-0123.
Tosha Blancett has opened Blancett's Little Hands at 319 E. 13th St., Silver City.
Recovery Time Recycle is a new business at 4010 Hwy. 90 S. in Silver City, registered by proprietor Karen McClish.
Nora Fiedler has opened Guadalupe's at 505 Bullard St. in Silver City.
Lonnie Shoup has opened Synthesis Design at 1111 West St. in Silver City.
Maria Arizaga has opened a new gallery, anima! in the spot that was Flowerings. Perhaps the location has good "gallery karma," as it housed the very successful Gallerie Urbane before the flower shop.
Bound to do Good Works
The Friends of Branigan Library has published its first fundraising cookbook, The Best of Friends. The cookbook will be on display at the group's store, Books & More, located in the library, 200 E. Picacho Ave. Eighty-three cooks from Las Cruces, El Paso, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Michigan contributed 400 recipes for the collection, which includes a Southwestern Flavors section. The books are priced at $20 and all funds go to the Friends to support programs and purchases for the library. Store hours are Tuesday through Friday 10-4 p.m. and Saturday 10-2 p.m. The store will be closed July 3 and 4 for the holiday weekend. Otherwise, pick one up soon and get ready to chow down with local flavor. Since the cookbook is for a good cause, one can only hope they sell like, well hotcakes. For information call Arlene Dohr at 521-4845.
Send business news to donna@desertexposure.com