New owners are renovating the Whispering Winds Motel on Old Route 66 in Flagstaff. The 25-room motel was purchased on June 1 for just under $1 million, according to Coconino County records. “We’re working with Mark Reavis at the City of Flagstaff’s Heritage Preservation Office to renovate the landmark sign,” said Ascend Capital Management Sales and Marketing Dirctor Jose Alvarado. “Our goal is to renovate the whole building.” The Flagstaff-based company has chosen not to raze the Route 66 … [Read more...] about Heritage Route 66 Motel Getting Retro Restoration
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Getting Your Head in the Game
If Fred Stuvek, Jr., were your job coach, you would no doubt show up early, stand up straight, shoulders back and answer confidently and loudly “yes, sir” to whatever advice he is offering. Stuvek is a take-no-prisoners, accept-no-excuses kind of guy who plays tough and aims to win. He has been inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame for achievements in football, basketball, baseball and track, and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy after lettering three years as quarterback for … [Read more...] about Getting Your Head in the Game
International Minute Press Lifts Community During COVID-19
International Minute Press printing franchise owners Tracie and Glenn Hansen are helping people in Flagstaff celebrate milestones, stay safe and get back to business during COVID-19. Just five months after celebrating their first year in business, everything came to a sudden stop for them. “March was shaping up to be a record month, but it all came to a screeching halt once the governor declared a state of emergency. It was alarming. But from Day 1, local and corporate support staff from … [Read more...] about International Minute Press Lifts Community During COVID-19
Female-Operated Old Barrel Tea Company Pours Flavor into Downtown
From a social drink to a mid-day pick-me-up, tea has come a long way since its introduction to the United States in 1650. Tea has even seeped its way into the wellness industry, and Old Barrel Tea Company (OBTC), downtown Flagstaff’s newest business, is ready to tell you all about it. With four stores in New Mexico and two in Colorado, OBTC is a family-owned, female-run business. Manager Eleanor Krueger, who has roots in Flagstaff, is excited to introduce patrons to the advantages of … [Read more...] about Female-Operated Old Barrel Tea Company Pours Flavor into Downtown
Arizona Snowbowl and Greater Flagstaff Chamber Announce First Round Recipients for COVID-19 Relief Fund
Arizona Snowbowl and the Greater Flagstaff Chamber announced that the Kachina Peaks Avalanche Center, First Chair Ski & Snowboard Rentals, Alpine Resource, and The Market of Dreams have been selected as first round recipients for the Snowbowl/Flagstaff Chamber COVID-19 Relief Fund. Each recipient will receive $7,500 of grant funding, and four more recipients will be announced in early September. Last month, Snowbowl and the Chamber created the COVID-19 relief fund to benefit local small … [Read more...] about Arizona Snowbowl and Greater Flagstaff Chamber Announce First Round Recipients for COVID-19 Relief Fund
Preparing for a Different Kind of School Year
Amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic, one thing is certain – going back to school will look different, depending on the institution. The Grand Canyon School, which teaches students from as far away as Valle, 23 miles to the south, and is the only Pre-K through 12th grade school district located inside a Grand Canyon National Park, has developed a three-part reopening plan of action. “We are going to offer a full online distance learning option for parents who would rather keep their … [Read more...] about Preparing for a Different Kind of School Year
First-Time Gun Owners Driving Spike in Firearms Sales
Arizona native Stacy Speed, a vice president in the banking industry, has been working from her Flagstaff home during the pandemic and has found time to take on a new hobby. “I wanted to do something for myself. I love learning,” she said. “Also, intuitively, I knew coming into this year, an election year, the timing was good for me to learn self-defense. I want to know how to protect myself.” Speed has rarely picked up a gun before, but contacted Timberline Firearms and Training, enrolled … [Read more...] about First-Time Gun Owners Driving Spike in Firearms Sales
A Tea Party with the White Rabbit
It’s high tea time in Flagstaff. Where can you settle into a plush turquoise armchair, accept a lovely cup of perfectly- brewed tea and sip gently with your pinky out while decorously nibbling on a warm scone? With the opening of the White Rabbit Tea Lounge in an upscale retail space in Sawmill at Aspen Place, Flagstaff now has a charming location to savor the wonders of tea. The tea lounge, situated below luxury apartments, was launched during a soft opening on July 11, with a grand … [Read more...] about A Tea Party with the White Rabbit
Wedding Bell Blues
Lindsey Reed thought she would be Mrs. Stell the next time she ate at Pizzicletta in Flagstaff or camped at Marshall Lake, but COVID-19 arrived like an uninvited uncle who barged in and messed things up just when she thought all was under control. Northern Arizona University MBA alumnus Greg Stell surprised Reed when he got down on one knee on a Northland camping trip in October 2018. “We love Flagstaff so much – the outdoors and restaurants – it was my birthday weekend and I never thought it … [Read more...] about Wedding Bell Blues
Tusayan’s Clarinda Vale Enjoys Her Small Town Beside the Grand Canyon
Living your life in a really small town might seem limiting, unless your town borders the seemingly endless Grand Canyon and your dark skies show off the mind-boggling expanses of the universe. Clarinda Vail was born and raised in Tusayan, the smallest town in Arizona by its population of 560 residents, located about seven miles from the Grand Canyon’s south entrance. The town houses several motels and hotels, restaurants, an IMAX Theater, a general store and several eateries. Vail is the … [Read more...] about Tusayan’s Clarinda Vale Enjoys Her Small Town Beside the Grand Canyon